Wanderer
by Miss Rouge Apple
Summary: Why do I always screw things up? My friends, my family, my life... And then I just ran away from it all. What if I find someone who finally cares about me? What if she doesn't want me to run away? I just don't know if I can stay put for her...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I

It was pouring. My thin and worn clothes were soaked and were not even trying to hold back the sharp winds and chilling rain. Wet hair clung to my face as I staggered along the road, which was no longer dirt, but a simple cobblestone path. It was beginning to flood over, puddles joining together to become a small stream, covering the lane and making a muddy mess. My feet plopped in and out of the slop as I staggered onward. I had no place to go, but I didn't stop to find cover from the slaughtering rain. It wasn't worth it; I had already assumed, from years of experience, that a town was just ahead of me, fighting off the same storm.

Thunder rumbled and I almost didn't hear it; I was consumed in my thoughts. Like a quicksand, it pulled me under and seemed to stifle my senses. Sometimes, I would stumble over a rock, plain in view, but I would not have realized its small presence. I guess I was just that stupid.

Trees shook as a wind cut through them and myself; making me shudder. Rain began to fall harder, and yet, I just kept walking. It was the only thing I could do. It wasn't like I could turn around and go home. No, I didn't have a home anymore. I didn't have a warm house to return to, a family to welcome me, a dinner ready on the table, or even a friendly smile to let me smile back to. I was on my own and that was that.

I didn't look up, but from the corner of my eye, I could see a small sign. I didn't read it, but I just knew it was the welcoming sign of the very town I had guessed was just ahead. Another sharp breeze slashed through me like a knife. I actually recoiled in surprise, stopping and taking a moment to rub my arms, which were raw and bare against the elements. I had no coat to wrap around myself, but my equally cold hands to try and stroke my chilled arms. Needless to say, it was in vain.

Maybe it was the thunder, maybe it was the softening of the wind, but I suddenly looked up to find myself in the center of a town's street. It was unfamiliar, but somehow comforting at the same time. It looked like one of those small towns that you would just pass by without a second glance, or maybe even a first.

I stood in front a large brick and stone building bearing the name 'DOUG'S INN'. It seemed to have a cold exterior to it, but that may have been the storm still raging against me and the taverns walls. But the glow of the windows created a soft light outside, like when a fireplace was lit to just the perfect touch of warmth, attracted me and made my feet slosh through the shallow mud waters. My hand touched the cold, cold metal of the door handle and before I could think for another second, I had already opened the door.

I didn't even walk in, but stood there with my hand still on the handle and scanned the area. There was no lobby, but a large open room filled with tables, all set up and ready for customers. Even though the owners obviously worked hard to give off a welcoming air, there were only a few people in the enormous room. Two men, one standing behind a counter with orange (turning gray) hair and complementary mustache and the other with dark (also graying) hair and a smile lined with small wrinkles. They were chuckling loudly over a joke that was told before I had opened the door.

Walking in, they didn't hear me over their laughter. My footsteps were seen on the floor, wet muddy stains on the wooden boards. I could feel tiny droplets of water trace across my jaw and then finally fall to the floor. I stumbled over to a stool, where I sat and the relief of my weight not on my feet made me let out a sigh. It was almost silent, not counting the low hum of the two men talking to each other. They weren't even very loud at all, just a chuckle and a word to each other; both seemed content with just a slow silence and taking a sip of the wine in front of them. Frankly, I didn't mind the peace either.

A low rumble from outside made all of us turn towards the entrance, as if expecting something to happen. The dark haired man poked at the redhead, smirking a drunken smirk. "Hey, you ain't afraid off thisss" A small hiccup. "Thisss sstorm, are you, Doug?"

The man called Doug simply chuckled, his cheeks a slight pick tinge from the wine. "Nah, not fear my friend, not fear." He began to clean a glass that seemed already spotless. "Just wonderin' when it'll stop, Duke."

"Never." Duke chuckled as though it was a joke. Doug smiled and laughed along with him, and I guessed it _was_ an inside joke between the two old friends. I turned back around to face the counter and just stared at its wooden boards. The tiny lines of grain in them made small grooves and when I touched the boards gently, I could feel them. My mind wandered again and then came the quicksand.

It was almost like I was back outside; water seemed to flood in my head, making my eyes close and a blackness sweep over me. The voices of the two men's laughter seemed to fade away slowly as I fell into a dreamlike trance. Memories filled my head, flashing before me, trying to burn a hole in my brain, as if they wanted to stay there forever. I knew that they probably_ were_ there forever. It began to be as if every time I closed my eyes, they would flicker on, and I would be forced to watch.

"Hey, you okay?" A voice came clear through the blackness; I knew it wasn't part of my memories. It was new; feminine, but kind of gravelly and not overly sweet (unlike some of the voices of women that I've met). I opened my eyes to see a young woman leaning on the counter, a small smirk playing on her lips. She was close to me and I fell back a little, not quite prepared for the proximity. A laugh escaped her lips; it was sort of gravelly, too. "Sorry 'bout that, there. You seemed a little out of it there and I thought I would ask what was on your mind."

She had red hair, braided and falling down her back, held up by a white bow. Her blue eyes stared at me, not intently, but not glazed over either. She wasn't the prettiest girl that I've ever met, but not the ugliest by far. Out of all the women I've met, she was probably the least fake. "So, did you need something?"

'_Money, food, water, a house_…' I thought. "U-Uh, n-nothing…" I stammered, mentally cursing myself. I couldn't help but stutter; I never really wanted to talk much and I wasn't really good at holding a conversation either. She didn't seem fazed by my shyness, though. The young woman nodded and shrugged.

"Suit yourself, but if you need somethin', give me a call." It wasn't like she was flirting when she said that, which I've actually gotten a few times if I stopped by a bar, but just casual politeness.

I dug a fingernail into my hand as I watched her walk away. "U-Uh, w-wait…" I stopped her and she turned around, giving me a curious look. "I-Is there a-any room f-for me t-to stay the n-night?" I asked quietly.

A grin broke out on her face. "Do we have room? Boy, you've never been to Mineral Town have you?" She laughed, her hands resting on her hips. "We'll always have plenty of room! There's a nice bed upstairs waiting for ya for only 100G." I felt relief come over me. _I had 100G._ "Food and other stuff will be put on the bill as you go, but 100G is the price for every two weeks."

I actually smiled. I had money for that, maybe for even more than a month! I could feel a warmth rush through me. That meant that I had a place to go to when a storm rolled by. The woman leaned against the counter again. "So, you stayin' or not?"

"Y-Yes, t-thank you…" I stammered and took out 100G, placing it in her outstretched hand. My hand was obviously cold as I noticed her eyes widen quickly when we came in contact.

"Jeez!" She gave a tiny shriek. "What, have you never heard of gloves?!" I felt my face heat up, despite my cold hands and everything. "Let's get you something hot to eat; on the house." I looked up at her with surprise. _Free?!_

"I-I thought I-I h-had to p-pay for food a-as-"

She waved it off as though it was nothing. "Yeah, yeah, I know what I said. Don't need to remind me." She grinned again. "But you look like you need a good hot meal, buddy. And don't try to tell me otherwise, 'cause I can tell you suck at lying."

There was a low grumble, but it wasn't the thunder outside. I placed a hand over my abdomen, blushing furiously with embarrassment. The woman laughed loudly (I was starting to like her laugh, gravelly and all). "That's what I want to hear!" She beamed and turned away, still talking. "I'll be just a minute, it won't take long at all; you like curry?"

I nodded my head vigorously, but then I realized that she didn't see me. "Y-Yes, i-it's my f-favorite."

"Great! That just so happens to be my specialty!" I just knew that she was smiling by the tone of her voice. She turned into a room, where I heard the clang of pots. There was a tiny roar of a starting flame and then a sizzle of oil on a pan, along with rice and curry powder blistering. "So… why were you out in a storm like this?"

I didn't say anything. There was the low hum of the two men still talking, still oblivious to my or the young woman's presence. The sizzle and the roar of the flame were the only things that I heard from the kitchen, not a word from the woman. I bit my lip, hoping that she didn't take it the wrong way; honestly, I had no idea either; why I was out there standing the storm. But that didn't mean that I wanted to talk about it.

The tiny sizzle faded as the resulting click of a burner knob was turned off. The blistering noise of cooked curry slowly died and I realized the dish must have been done frying; that meant that she was coming out. A small flicker of panic built up in my chest. _She might be annoyed with me; she could be irritated with my silence, my smothered answer._ There were light footsteps on the wooden boards, a tiny stumble when she turned the corner, dish in hand. I was surprised to see an apologetic sheepish smile on her lips. "Err, sorry 'bout that…"

I was taken aback by her apology. My jaw sort of fell, not completely so that I looked like some slack-jawed moron. "Y-You're s-sorry?" I asked and she shrugged, placing the curry on the counter.

"Yeah, I get this a lot… I get a little excited, ya know? Sometimes I wanna know about people who come in here and I end up getting a little nosy." She laughed. "I'm just curious! Sorry if I made you uncomfortable and stuff."

I pursed my lips, my face heating up again. "I-It's okay…"

"So…" She poked her finger at the curry. "Eat up and tell me how great it is." Her face broke out into a grin. Her modesty wasn't as annoying as others' were. I smiled a little and picked up the fork, plunging it into the spicy food. I popped it into my mouth, chewing it slowly as the woman leaned against the counter once more, cupping her chin in her palms, expectant. The food seemed to spark; it was amazing! The spice was just perfect, tingling my tongue and at the same time was cooked to excellence. I blinked twice, shocked. The woman laughed, her head thrown back. "I knew it!"

She pointed at the dish again as I forked into it once more. "I used my own special secret curry powder; it's all mine." She was beaming. "First concocted it when I was twelve!"

"T-Twelve?" I asked, about to shove another fork-full into my mouth.

"Yeah, I've always loved to cook." She nodded. Her lips pursed for a moment and then she whipped out a fork from under the counter. "Don't mind, do you?" I was about to ask her what she meant, but she didn't seem to need an answer. Her fork went into the curry and then into her mouth. "Mmmm, I love curry." She saw my surprised look and then laughed. "Sorry, you made it look good!"

I smiled a little. "R-Really?"

A laugh escaped her lips. "Oh, don't flatter yourself, boy!" My cheeks heated up. "Say…" Another fork of curry popped into her mouth. "What did you say your name was?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling hotter. "I-I d-didn't…"

She raised an eyebrow. "And it would be…?"

I noticed the curry was finished, so I put my fork down. "Ummm… C-Cliff…" I stammered, my voice softening. She smirked and then picked up the clean plate, putting the two forks on top and walking away to the kitchen.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Cliff." She replied, yelling from the kitchen. "How long will you be staying here at Doug's Inn?" I pursed my lips, feeling a tiny bit of dread. _Was there a time limit or something?_ "Um, hellooo? Earth to Cliff? Do you know how long you will be staying?"

"U-Uh, n-no…" I answered finally and the woman came out of the kitchen, drying her hands.

"Okay, that's alright." I could feel my chest ease out of relief. The young woman leaned against the counter again, a smirk on her face. "Name's Ann, by the way."

I hunched over a little, blushing. "N-Nice t-to meet y-you, A-Ann…"

She laughed. "You're sure shy, aren't you Cliff? Well, don't worry; you'll get out of your shell eventually." Another gravelly laugh. "Especially with all the nice people around here!" She leaned over a little closer. "Though, be careful about the Rose Square ladies; they're such gossips."

I smiled a little and she grinned. "Okay! Let's get you upstairs and settled in!" Ann walked around the counter, seeming to look for something. She scratched her head, looking slightly confused.

"Ummm…" I felt a little nervous. "A-Are y-you looking for s-something?"

"Yeah; where are your things?" Ann straightened up and gave me a look. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. "Don't you have a suitcase or something?"

I looked down at the floor, as though it was more interesting than Ann. "N-No…" I muttered and I saw Ann wince.

"Aw, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that…" She rubbed the back of her neck. "Let's get you upstairs, 'kay?" I nodded and followed her.

As we walked across the room, I turned to see that one of the men had left, the dark haired one, leaving his emptied wine glass behind for the redhead to clean. There was silence, which before I came here, was a blessing for me. But now, the silence was kind of somber and I wanted to actually hear something, someone. Ann turned around, walking up the stairs backwards as we went upward.

"You're gonna have a roommate, by the way." I nodded and she rolled her eyes. "He's not really nice and ends up venting about his grandpa all day, so just deal, you know? You'll only see him for a couple hours a day; he works at the blacksmith's and he's totally serious about his job. He's like a workaholic, but he usually gripes about it a lot."

I smiled and she laughed. "S-So, d-do y-you o-own t-this I-Inn?" I asked and she scoffed.

"No way, my dad does. He's down there; see?" She pointed to the redheaded man, whom looked up and smiled at her. "Hey dad, I got a customer; I'm just gonna take him to the room, okay?" He nodded and continued cleaning. She turned to me with a smile. "Good ol' dad."

My heart sunk, but I tried my best to maintain a smile. _Yeah, good ol' dad…_ She turned back around and jogged the rest of the way up, with me trying my best to remain right behind her. She would laugh when she stopped and I almost ran into her; it just made me blush profusely and stammer uncontrollably. Finally, after much stammering and blushing, we made it upstairs.

Ann opened the door to reveal a pleasant room. Its walls were a very plain color, matched by three beds against the right wall. There was a table with a vase on it, flowers popping out, unaware of the oncoming winter that would soon wipe out their friends outside that stood against the autumn storm. Thunder growled outside, proving my thoughts. Ann ran over to the window just as a tiny bolt of lightning lit up the sky. I expected to see a frown twist on her face, but an exited grin was bore into her face. "Ohhhh! I LOVE thunder storms! Don't you?"

I shook my head vigorously and she rolled her eyes. "Well, I think they're cool. Anyway…" She pointed to the beds. "That bed over there is Gray's –the guy I told you about earlier- so don't touch it. You can take either one of the other two, but that one is off limits." Ann folded her arms across her chest. "Besides, you like to live, don't you?"

I felt some color erase from my face and Ann laughed. "Don't worry! He won't mess with you now that _we're_ buddies!"

A smile started to show up on my face. "B-Buddies?" I asked and Ann nodded.

"Yup! We're going to get along great, I just know it!" She laughed again and I started to chuckle a little. Now, I had a place to come back to, a friend to greet me, and even a friendly smile to smile back to.

* * *

**_Miss Rouge Apple~ _I LOVE this pairing and I just had to write a fanfiction for these two. Please review and tell me how I'm doing so far! They are greatly appreciated and those who do get chocolate!!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_You don't deserve this. You don't deserve to stay under this roof, eat their food, share their warmth. You don't deserve to laugh at their jokes. You don't deserve any of their kindness. You don't deserve any of this. You know this; you know you're shameful, you're pitiful, you're a good-for-nothing, worthless vagabond. Yet you still lie in this bed and not do a single thing about this dishonorable crap you're putting out. You don't deserve this. You don't deserve this. You don't deserve this._

_I stood in pitch black darkness as the voice continued to rant and hiss. I wouldn't, no, _couldn't _move. My feet felt as though they were lead; as if I had run for miles upon miles and the only word that could possibly describe my legs would be useless. Something wet began to rise from beneath my feet, slowly reaching my ankles, my shins, my knees… A frigid, icy water was steadily submerging me. I couldn't see through the black shadow as I wondered what could possibly be under those silhouetted waters. Something brushed my leg, but I didn't shiver; although I wanted so badly to, just to prove that I could possibly move._

_It kept rising, rising, rising so slowly I wanted to scream. It was like a horror movie; you knew something bad was going to happen, but you just didn't know when and it was taking too long. It had reached my waist, inching up to my chest, dawdling ever so much. My heart seemed to pound harder and harder, getting louder and louder, as though it was in my ears and not in my now drowning chest. The water was so cold, so very freezing, my bones ached with an icy pain. I could no longer feel my toes, as they were finally numb. I wished that I could at least wiggle them, to move the tiny bit of blood that probably freezing in them, to warm them. But I -and they would remain- frozen._

_Now the water had reached my neck and I felt another urge to shiver; again, I couldn't. My heart now felt like a sledgehammer, a throbbing and pounding pain that was so intense, I felt the need to scream. It was almost like my heart was killing me; a heavier weight than my feet were. So heavy, it was plunging me deeper into the water. It finally hit me. The water wasn't rising… I was sinking. I was drowning. And I could do nothing about it. I couldn't wave my arms to keep me afloat, nor kick my feet to allow my head to stay above the water. I could only feel myself get pulled farther and farther down, my heart heavily throbbing. The dark water was now touching my lips. It tasted bitter and pungent, something I didn't want to end up filling my lungs. Something brushed by my leg once more and it slowly wrapped around my shin. And with one strong, swift yank, I was under the freezing, black, water._

I awoke; sweat dripping from my face, as I shot up with so much force that I found myself sitting up in the bed. The perspiration slid down my cheek, tracing my jaw, and then finally falling onto the clean sheets that were wrapped around me, torn away from the bed's sides. I was breathing in long and deep breaths, making me sort of dizzy. The room around me spun slightly, swaying and swaying. I combed back the bangs that stuck to my face, wet with sweat. My hair was down and loose, and even though I tried, strands clung to my cheeks and forehead.

A moan escaped my lips, in realization that it had happened again; the nightmare that haunted my mind every night. Every damned night. I would wake the same way every morning, dazed and heavily breathing. No matter where I was or how cold or how hot I would be, I would awake to remember the dark, freezing, terrible waters and the _thing_ that would drag me under. My nightmare would never go far enough for me to find out what it was, but something in my gut told me that I didn't want to know. A shudder traveled up my spine and I looked around the now still room; my heart sped up when I didn't recognize my surroundings.

When my eyes rested on the window pane, wet with rain, I remembered entering the Inn and meeting Ann. Slowly, I looked around the room, taking things in. My shirt was on the floor (I guess I had stripped out of it during my dream) and so were my bandages that went around my shins along with my shoes. I got out of the warm bed and shivered when my feet touched the ground; it was cold. But, I ignored the chill going up my spine and picked up my shirt –also cold- and put it on. As I combed my hair back with my fingers, I kept a small piece of string in my lips. After my hair was pulled back, I tied the string around it, keeping it up.

As I wrapped the bandages around my shins, I saw the tiny scars that had been caused by years and years of wandering. I hesitantly touched a specific one, remembering how painful it was when the wound had been fresh and bleeding. Now, it was only a silvery line, tracing from the top of my foot almost all the way to my knee; it was from tripping over a fallen log and landing over a sharp rock. I could remember having to hold onto my shin, to stop the bleeding, and crawling to the side of the road to mend it myself. And to my displeasure, it had got infected.

I frowned at the memory. _That was the past; you've learned to let go of the past, haven't you? You, of all people, should know._ I tied the bandages and slipped into my shoes, murmuring to myself, "I hope I know."

Walking past my messy bed, I opened the door of the bedroom to hear the sound of a rag being rubbed against a wooden surface. I walked down the steps and looked over the railing to see Ann and her father, washing the counter and some dishes that were being put away. Ann looked up from cleaning an already spotless wine glass and grinned. "Good mornin', Cliff! Sleep well?"

Her father turned and smiled at me as I came down the stairs. I felt my face heat up due to the sudden spotlight shone on me. Instead of stammering, I nodded at her. She didn't seem to take offense to my shyness, and just smiled back to me. Her father rubbed the counter with a rag as he spoke in a low, loud voice (the male version of Ann's, I had to note). "It's good to have you here, Cliff! How about something to eat to get you started today?"

I smiled and finally spoke up. "Y-Yes, t-thank you…"

He grinned beneath his bushy mustache and turned to Ann. "Think you can whip somethin' up for Mr. Cliff over here?"

Ann nodded and looked at me. "How about Savory Pancakes? Does that sound good for you?"

_You don't deserve this. You don't deserve this._ I slowly nodded, trying to put on a believable smile, while I really wanted to frown. I noticed a small flicker of concern in Ann's eyes, but it was only for a millisecond; and when she turned to the kitchen, I doubted that she had even worried. Doug held out a paw of a hand to me, still smiling. "The name's Doug by the way; I own this fine Inn here!" He chuckled under his bushy mustache. I grasped his hand and almost gaped at how strong his shake was; he almost tore my arm off.

"N-Nice t-to m-meet y-you M-Mr. D-Doug!" I said, my voice not only shaking from my shyness, but from the force of his arm. He laughed a loud booming laugh.

"No need to be so formal, boy! Just call me Doug!" He grinned and chuckled.

Letting go of my now throbbing hand, he began to clean the counter again, like any good Innkeeper would. "So," He began. "I heard that you stumbled in last night during the storm from Ann. What in the name of the Goddess were you doing out there, sonny?" He asked me, smiling, but curiosity sparkling in his brown eyes.

I sat down on one of the stools and traced my finger along the wooden grains in the counter, avoiding his gaze. "I-I w-was j-just… t-traveling…" I figured it'd be best if people didn't know a lot about me; lying would be my safest bet. Doug nodded, taking the false information in.

"Ah, so you travel! Why, we get quite a few travelers here in Mineral Town; usually board here for night or two, they do. We actually get one traveler who comes back every summer from his travels, working at a shack down by the beach; he calls it his Seaside Lodge." Doug chuckled. "Real nice place and he's a good cook, too."

I smiled as I listened to him talk. _Like father, like daughter_… He pointed at me. "You might've met him; his name's Kai. Sound familiar to you?"

Shaking my head, he shrugged. "Ah, well, I guess I shouldn't have judged; I mean, just because I cook, doesn't mean that I know The Gourmet personally." He picked up a wine glass from underneath the counter and began to rub it with a cleaner cloth. He smirked. "Hope I didn't offend you, boy."

I shook my head vigorously and he chuckled. "You're a quiet one, aren't you boy?"

Scratching my cheek and looking away, I felt my face flush. "I-I g-guess s-so, s-sir…" He smiled and shook his head.

"Ah, I guess you'll warm up to everyone eventually; that is, I'm assuming that you'll be staying for quite some time. Am I right?" _You don't deserve this. You don't deserve this,_ the voice whispered in my head and I pursed my lips, which were sore and chapped from biting them so often. I nodded, so desperately trying to ignore the hissing voice that was burned in my mind. Doug nodded back, smiling. "Well that's great, boy; we'll be glad to have you!"

I smiled as convincing as I could, hoping it would have to do for now. All was quiet and the only noise in the big room was the squeaks of cloth being rubbed against glass. I silently sighed to myself, thinking about what I could do. I had to leave (so said my conscience), but I didn't want to. I wanted to go out and do something, something fun, but something else told me no. My eyes drooped and I leaned into my folded arms on the table, resting my forehead on them. It was sort of warm and was kind of sticky; the feeling made my nose wrinkle up with distaste.

Suddenly, the almost silence that was never quiet broke. "You still hungry, Cliff?" I looked up to see Ann standing in front of me, her father gone off somewhere. Her eyes were narrowed and her head was cocked to the side, like she was trying to figure a problem out. I felt my face heat up once more and I looked away, my face practically buried in my arms.

"I-I g-guess…" I murmured, my face feeling hotter and hotter. Ann nodded, smiling a little more.

"Okey Dokey, here ya go!" She placed a dish in front of me and I stared at it for a few seconds while Ann watched. "Well…? Aren't you going to eat it?"

I nodded and then stood up a little straighter; a little. I shoveled a forkful of the Savory Pancakes into my mouth and chewed. It was great; but I guess I was a little too tired to remind her. I had almost forgotten the redhead's presence until I heard a sigh. I looked up and saw Ann going back into the kitchen. A pang of guilt hit my chest and I put down the fork that held just a sliver of the delicious pancakes; I wasn't so hungry anymore.

Ann came out with an old, worn jacket; one of the elbows of its red gingham texture covered with an olive green patch. She was sliding it on when she noticed my gaze, she smiled at me and I blushed again, turning my head away. I heard the crunch of a paper bag as it was clutched in a person's hand and my attention was caught once more. Ann held a brown bag in one hand as she held her jacket together with the other. She looked at me and shrugged. "I have to go to the Church; Pastor Carter asked for some lunch to be made and brought to him." I felt a small smile come to my face and Ann seemed to notice; a smile slowly grew on her face. "…Wanna come?"

I couldn't help but nod and smile even wider when I saw her face explode into a giant grin, so wide, her blue eyes closed. "Alright! You can eat that later, I can always whip something up if it ends up being cold or something; let's go!" Before I could even stammer a single word, Ann raced around the counter and grabbed my wrist, pulling me out the door of the Inn.

Once outside, the chilly air of autumn hit our faces and I felt a shiver wanting to spaz up my spine; but somehow, it didn't come. Goosebumps were on my arms, but I felt no tingle of their presence. Ann smiled at me and pointed in a direction, off towards the left. "THATA WAY!" She boldly announced, making my eardrums pound. I stood there in a daze for a few seconds and then noticed her figure slowly getting smaller in the distance. She turned around and waved her arms. "C'mon, Cliff! Hurry up!"

I bit back a goofy smile and ran ahead, trying to keep up with her. She waited a few seconds and then grinned, turning away and running. I watched her as she turned her face towards me, still running and shouted, "Race you there!"

Now I ran full speed, a rush of excitement and adrenaline coursing through me. The goofy smile conquered my face and, for a moment, I got lost in everything; the sun was shining brightly behind the gray, autumn clouds and the trees blew down some of the last remaining colorful leaves from their places. I saw Ann ahead of me, leaning against a small fence, grinning from ear to ear. I stopped running and jogged, realizing that the hope to winning the race was, at that point, in vain. I breathed heavily as the cold air made very faint wisps of silver clouds fog my face. Ann's were smaller, I being able to notice that she had already caught her breath.

She laughed and pointed at me, singing, "You lost, I won! Ha! Ha! Ha-ha! Ha!" I stopped myself from rolling my eyes as I came to the fence. I was about to smile when something caught my eye. It was a gravestone. I couldn't hear Ann walking away as I stood there and stared. Through the grime and years of deterioration, I could see the words _In Loving Memory: Gone but Never Forgotten_.

_How ironic, isn't it Cliffy? That you should so desperately want to burn the memories out of your mind; they'll never be gone, never be forgotten… never be gone, never be forgotten…_ I bit my lips, tasting the metallic taste of blood on them. I was used to it, biting my lips until they bled; nothing new for me. It was new for Ann, because when she came out of the Church, her jaw dropped. "Cliff? What's wrong?"

I felt frozen to that spot, staring at the accursed words. I felt Ann's arms loop through my right, her hands holding gripping around my elbow. After being pulled away, I looked around a huge church, faint light pouring from the stain glass windows and old pews, rouge and worn, waiting for someone to sit and pray. A man, looking to be in his thirties, looked up from a podium and smiled. "Ah, Ann, how are you?" His voice was smooth and quieter than normal, like he wanted to speak up, but was being shushed by someone older and wiser.

Ann smiled, pulling me along down the faded red carpet to the man dressed in white and black robes. "Hello Pastor Carter, I'm fine, thanks." She looked at me and released her hands from my arms. "This is Cliff, he's new to town and he's staying at the Inn."

The pastor smiled and bowed his head. "Goddess bless you, Cliff; hello."

A greeting was prepared before he spoke, but when he spoke so religiously, I choked. "U-uh, h-hello…" I said, turning my head to the floor. I could feel gazes on my face, and I could also feel my cheeks burn to a crisp.

There was a small sigh from my side and I knew Ann was embarrassed of me, I just knew it. "Cliff… how about you go sit over there while Miss Keeper and I speak?" I looked up and saw Pastor Carter smiling at me. _He barely knows you and yet he's already embarrassed of you_. My face fell a little and I walked over to the front pews, sitting in the very first seat. I looked over at Ann and the pastor in a glance, and seeing them smile at each other warmly and with acceptance made my heart sink. _You'll never be accepted; you don't deserve acceptance, you don't deserve this. You don't deserve this._

I could feel myself slowly drowning in the black waters once more. Memories flooded my mind, plaguing every one of my five senses. It was like having someone yell at you, over and over and over, and they just won't stop. Except the person who was yelling was me; and I couldn't escape myself. No matter how far I went or how hard I tried, I could escape the fact that I was me, and that was that.

I looked up at the towering ceiling and a long heavy sigh escaped my lips. It didn't feel as good as I had hoped; usually sighing would release tension, like the tangled knot that crushed my chest and strangled my breath, but the knot remained intact, still choking every breath I took. It wasn't like I could ever get rid of it; it would remain there until the very end, I just knew it. I knew that as long as I remembered those memories and as long as I could take a step and then another, I would forever feel it twisting deeper and harder for the rest of my life.

A voice reached my ears. "Cliff?" It was Pastor Carter. "I just wanted to let you know, that you may stay as long as you would like. And if you desired, you may come back anytime that you wished."

With that being said, I heard his footsteps slowly die away, leaving me alone like I usually am. A small, sad smile touched my lips and I breathed out a tiny, "Thank you…"

I stared at the flooring, minute by minute, hour by hour, just staring and thinking; well, listening, actually as a voice in my head whispered, hissing over and over again, _never be gone, never be forgotten, never be gone, never be forgotten, never be gone, never be forgotten…_

And I just sat. And listened.

* * *

**_Miss Rouge Apple~_ Poor Cliff... I'm so terribly sorry about how late this is (over a month, YIKES). You don't know how hard it was for this one, dearies. I kept writing, deleting, writing, deleting... IT WAS HORRIBLE! I swear, I will never let myself be that late EVER AGAIN. *holds up hand and swears by a DS all covered in HM pictures* I solemnlyy swear to never be late posting a chappy ever again. So help me Goddess (Taa-daa!).**

**But if I do, punishment is an .. Virtual punishment!! But not this time, 'cause I get a warning first (just like elementary school!)**

**'Til next time, toodle-oo dearies! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Rain fell softly against the stained glass windows as I stared out, sitting from the same humble pew that I had been all day. The clouds that had once seemed to have no effect on the bright and cheerful sun had now covered it up; as though there had been no sun at all. There was a chilling wind that cut through the trees next to the Church, a moaning sound erupting from the crevices of the windows; it was like the Church was in grieving of some sort. _Misery loves company_, a voice in my head whispered with a bitter voice. I sighed, closing my eyes and let my head droop.

Ann had left hours ago, needing to do work back at the Inn, and the pastor had left to do something or another quite some time after Ann left. I was alone in the Church. I folded my arms across my knees and let my chin rest on them, just silently staring at the wooden boards. Another moan filled the air and I looked up at the stained glass window to my left, watching as a small raindrop hit the Goddess' glass cheek, rolling down her paned face as though she was crying. I had never really heard of the Harvest Goddess before, and I admit, I was curious.

Her strange green hair was somewhat beautiful, curled at her head and falling down from a long, emerald braid. Her teal colored eyes were soft and kind, with her skin sort of glowing even though the sun had not even come out from behind the dark clouds to shine through the window. She was quite breath-taking for someone who, in myth and legend, lives in a small pond and only appears when given a gift. I had read this in a small plaque that was below the window, old, tarnished, and bronzed. I stared at the window, wondering if she had really existed before I had known of her being, and if she really did walk this earth, helping crops grow and animals live.

I stared at the window for a few more seconds and then turned back to the flooring. Who was I kidding? I couldn't just up and go following a religion that, until this day, had never heard of. It seemed a little off, even to me. A moan reached my ears and I jumped in my pew, only to realize, once again, it was the wind slicing through the cracks in the window panes. From how loud it was, I guessed that there were a lot of cracks. The room became silent once more and I leaned back against the pew, relaxing once more.

The rain outside was now heavy, drenching whosoever unfortunately walked the cobblestone paths outside. It was only two days ago that it was me out there, freezing to the bone and sloshing through chilled mud puddles, just to get a step further than before. I could remember trying to get any scraps I could to eat, and then not finding any for the rest of the week. I could remember sitting in bars, not taking a single sip of alcohol, but being so silent, staring at the counter as though I had drunken too many. I could remember sleeping next to buildings in the city, in small alleyways, shivering throughout the entire night as a slow, but steady drizzle would fall down from the smoggy gray clouds.

There was a small noise towards the entrance to the Church, followed by a loud creaking as the doors opened wide. I could hear footsteps begin to walk around, the sound of the hinges squeaking as the door shut, and the muffled scraping of shoes on carpet. I turned my head a little to see Pastor Carter walking to his podium, his robes almost completely drenched. He was smiling as he wiped rolling raindrops off of the black cloth that covered him to the ankles. His eyes slowly swept over the Church and then rested on me. "Cliff?" He seemed surprised. "So you decided to stay?"

I slowly looked away, nodding. There was a chuckle and then, "Well, that's wonderful! I haven't got many visitors who stay the entire day. The Goddess must be very pleased…" I looked over to see him smiling kindly. "Would you like to help me with some chores that I have been meaning to do? That is, if you think-" I nodded before he could finish, figuring that it was the least I could do; for now, of course. Just to keep my mind off of things.

He laughed a bit. "Great! This will make the work go so much faster." The pastor waved his hand, beckoning me to follow. I stood up, walking behind silently. He led me to a small closet, opening the door to reveal that it _used_ to be a walk-in closet; now, it was stuffed to the brim with old and new candles of different colors, scrolls, books, boxes with incense, dried flowers and preserves, and bronze candleholders. My jaw was slightly slacking as I stared into the closet. Pastor Carter sighed, giving me a weary look. "Goddess help me, I'm never good at organizing…"

I didn't smile as I shook my head, having to agree with him. He rolled up his long belled sleeves and took out a box, some incense shaking and being bent as he put it on the ground. I went inside, grabbing a stack of books and carrying them over to a pew, setting them down onto the faded red cushions. The top book was covered in dust, hiding its title. Curious, I wiped the gray fuzz off of the binding, revealing a deep green cover stating the proud words in bronze lettering, _The Majesty and Splendor of the Earth; The Harvest Goddess_.

Carter turned around, numerous colorful candles that have lost their wicks in his arms, and saw me staring at the ancient book. "You may read it, if you would like."

I was surprised. "R-Really?" I asked, giving him a look. He nodded and put the candles on the ground with the box. I picked up the book and began to flip through the pages, my eyes skimming over everything, wanting to take it all in quickly.

The book's pages were yellowed and old, with ink writing, faded to a silvery gray instead of a deep dark black. Words praised the Harvest Goddess, saying her soft voice cradled buds, caressing them until they grew into flowers, and her laughter made animals happy. It said when she was upset, her tears brought the clouds to crying; and even in sadness, she quenched the thirst of every crop. She was the reason Mineral Town was here; she was the reason we were all here.

Pictures of the Harvest Goddess were ornate and descriptive, showing her dancing and laughing, happy and elated, with flowers and plants, animals and humans. The book said she adored offerings, especially fruits and flowers. She hated jewels, which were made from the earth and not out of care and hard work. She detested gold and silver, which was cold and caused people to become greedy and selfish. It displeased the Harvest Goddess.

Carter picked up a box, scrolls spilling out from the cardboard sides. I saw and stammered. "S-Sorry a-about that P-Pastor C-Carter…" I put the book down to grab the fallen scrolls. He smiled and shook his head.

"It's alright, Cliff, you were enjoying reading the book; I could see. Oh, and you can just call me Carter; you don't need to be so formal." He smiled kindly and I nodded in understanding, handing him the few scrolls. "So," He began, turning back to the closet. "Are you interested in our Harvest Goddess?"

I nodded vigorously, walking over to grab a few boxes out of his hands. "I-I've n-never h-heard of t-this r-religion b-before…" I admitted, looking at the ground.

"Well, not many people know of it." Carter sighed and shook his head. "When cities began to rise and people began to live farther and farther away from rural towns, the Harvest Goddess seemed to be forgotten… Some children brought up in the city nearest to us have never even heard of her; it's heartbreaking…"

My shoulders drooped and I felt guilty for never knowing about the amazing goddess. He saw and then smiled a small sad smile. "It's not your fault, Cliff; it's just people haven't taught their children about the life-giving properties the Harvest Goddess is blessed with. I wish I could do more to spread the word of the goddess, but my job is to teach what we know and keep performing the rituals to please the Harvest Goddess herself."

I sadly agreed with him, grabbing all the randomly thrown incenses on the ground–broken and snapped due to improper tidying- and throwing them in the trash. Carter took another stack of books and placed them next to the stack I had taken out. The silence was uncomfortable as we kept working. The noises of dropped books and sliding boxes against the ground were the only sounds heard; they actually filled the Church as they echoed throughout the large stone built walls. It didn't compare to the warming conversations I had with Ann my first night.

A very small smile curled on my lips as I put away candles in an old worn cardboard box. Maybe staying here for awhile wouldn't be… so bad. _No!_ A hoarse voice hissed in my head. _You pitiful, sad idiot! You won't! You will not stay!_ My thumb rubbed against a thin tall red candle, the waxy texture leaving a scarlet color on my fingers. _You will run. You will leave. It'll be like before; one night, and then you're gone. Poof! Like you never existed. That's how it should be. You shouldn't exist._ Lines of guilt creased in my forehead as I frowned, a twisting pain in my gut agreeing with the hissing voice.

_I... don't deserve to exist…_ I thought sadly, my shoulders drooping as I looked over at the stained glass window, staring at the Goddess. Her eyes seemed to look down at me, and even though they were merely glass, I felt them lingering on me as I turned away. _I… shouldn't exist…_ My thumb stopped sliding over the smooth, crimson candle and I drank in the three words. _I shouldn't exist_.

Never before have I gotten this deep. Pastor Carter knew me, my name, my face. Doug knew me, my name, my face. Ann knew me. She knew _me_. Not enough, but deeper then Doug or Pastor Carter. They were like tiny scratches on my forearms; stinging, but livable and healable. Ann was a gash over my jaw line, thin but deep and letting blood trail down my neck.

Dear Goddess, she _knew _me. My heart began to pound and it seemed to drown out the silence. _Oh dear Goddess, oh dear Goddess! She knows! She knows! The look in her eyes! No, no, it _was_ her eyes! She could stare through me! She can! She can!_ My breath became shallow. _She KNOWS! She KNOWS! NO! NO! She can't know! She can't! But she does; she knows EVERYTHING!_ My vision blurred and I gasped, but no sound escaped my lips. I had to disappear. I had to disappear now.

Suddenly, the candle in my hands lit with such intensity, I fell back, dropping it. It fell to the cold stone ground and broke in two, the burning fire going out as fast as it lit. Carter came out of the closet, which seemed to be slowly and slowly getting bigger. He gave me a curious look and saw the candle. "Oh, did that break? Just throw it away, no harm done."

I stared at the candle, with a sense of fear slowly running through my blood, and then realized my hysteria; my mind had ranted and raved, leading one thing to another. Putting a cold hand to my face, I felt ashamed. I was losing it. I was losing. I was _losing_. I stood up abruptly, taking long, even breaths. Carter heard the noise once more and came out, holding a few boxes. "Cliff..? Are you leaving?"

Starting to walk away, I nodded, knowing he was watching me. "Y-Yeah…"

"Oh, well, may the Goddess bless you for a safe walk home! We hope to see you tomorrow!"

_Somehow, I doubt that…_ The voice chuckled in my head and all I could do was act as though I didn't hear him, closing the huge wooden doors behind me. Rain hit my face, cold and hard. It didn't wash away the mess of knots and feelings twisting and gnashing in me, making me frown and clench my fists in uneasiness. I had stopped, still facing the doors, my head down, almost touching the grains of wood. Whatever lingering warmth was in me was now gone, dripping down my limbs along with the raindrops clinging and then falling from my cold skin. Once again, I was frozen to the bone.

I turned around and began a long walk back to the Inn. I would try to eat one last dinner and leave; that was the plan. A frown slowly cursed my face and I knew deep down, that it was not the choice I had so desperately wanted. Letting out a _huff_, I frowned even deeper; _this was what I had to do_.

_That's right…_ The voice chuckled hoarsely, a husky scratchy laugh. _Leave. You must. You will leave, every day, everything, every one. That's what you did to your poor mother, didn't you?_ I felt the frown disappear and my jaw fell slightly, my eyes not taut with anger, but loose with sadness. _Yes, yes… remember her… your misery feeds me… and there's a lot of misery in you to feed me for the rest of your pathetic life…_

The wind had picked up a bit, sending a round of shivers down my spine. _How pitiful; only a day in a warm bed and you're soft all over again… Toughen up, you pansy! The wind is going to be cold, rough, and bitter. Just like your life, you miserable dope._ I rubbed my arms and continued walking, biting my lips from keeping my teeth from chattering. My stomach growled and I mentally cursed myself for not leaving the church earlier to get a decent meal._ Softie…_ Rolling my eyes, I trudged on.

The wind was indeed bitter, biting at my exposed flesh and ripping away at my body. The Inn was just in view, but as I walked, I felt no nearer than the step before. It was like walking up a beach from the waves. If you looked down at your feet, the waves trying to pull you back, with its cool serene lapping waters, you'd feel like you were going nowhere. I could remember countless times, walking to my family's umbrella from splashing in the salty sea, and almost falling over my damned feet for string at the ground. But something about it, walking and walking and the sensation of not moving an inch, it was fascinating. I couldn't tear my eyes away.

And even now, my eyes seemed to be fixated on my steps, slow and steady. Tiny cracks in the cobblestone pavement would catch my eye and they would dart from side to side of the street, glimmering from the rain under the brilliantly illuminated lamp posts. It was like the light was tenderly touching the rain soaked stones. The frown on my face slowly dissolved into a thin line as I stepped into a puddle, water soaking into my thin old shoes and drenching my feet, numbing them. I didn't curse or moan with annoyance, but kept walking toward the Inn, hoping the last meal I had would be enough to keep me going for the next few days.

_It'll have to. You'll have to get out of this town as fast as you can. There's no point in staying anymore, you can leave now._ I nodded to myself, agreeing. I was done. I had to move on and find another town, and from there I'd leave once more and find another, and then again, another town, another town after that… The possibilities of the paths made my head spin and my mouth go dry. _Too much… too much…_ I rubbed my arms, trying to sort everything out, become organized with my thoughts. I was thinking too far ahead, it would mess everything up.

I stopped when two large wooden doors were in my face. It was so sudden, so fast. I was in front of the Inn. My hands slipped a bit as I held tight onto the tarnished metal handle and yanked, a quick moan following after as the door swung open. I walked in, drenched and dripping from the storm. A threatening rumble followed after I closed the doors, a happy voice yelling from across the room. "Hey there! Thought we'd lost ya!"

I turned and saw Ann leaning on the counter, smirking at me. She laughed when I stared at her with a blank look on my face. "Just jokin'! Glad you're finally back, Cliff! Carter sure can get you hooked into something, can't he? He once got me listening to this story, and then he asked me what I thought the moral was. I stayed at the Church all day, just trying to get the words together!" She laughed loudly.

My face didn't change; I remained neutral and she seemed to notice. "Hey, you okay?" She cocked her head to the side. "Weeeeell, it could be you're gettin' hypothermia er somethin'. You're soaked to the bone, Cliff!" She turned, walking into the kitchen, yelling back, "I'll getcha a towel! Hold on a minute, will ya?"

I walked across the wooden boards, wiping stray brown bangs out of my face, sticking to my forehead. I sat down on a stool, looking down at the counter and traced the grains in the boards. Slowly, the feeling in my fingers came back, warmth running through my blood once more. I could feel heat steadily spread, going up my spine and through my bones. It was a physical relief.

The Inn's huge dining area slash lobby was silent, as if even the furniture, if they could, were holding their breath. It was completely spotless, but not so much that it felt like you were in a hospital. It was homey, vases containing colorful flowers, brightening up the all wood furnishings. There was a warm glow to everything, although there was neither a single fireplace nor wood-burning stove in the room. It was as if they glow came from the walls themselves.

My fingers continued to follow the tiny indents in the wood, the grains mesmerizing me. One of my weaknesses was scratching names and things in the wooden desks back where I went to school. I had to curl my finger back into my palm, creating a fist, to stop myself from going back to my old habit. It had been years since I had gone to school. With a sigh, I had to recall that I didn't even finish high school._ It was just my sophomore year when… _I bit my lip and released my fist. A metallic taste hit my tongue; I had struck blood once more.

I wiped the blood away quickly with my wrist and then heard Ann coming back. _This is it. You order. You eat. You sleep. You wake. You leave._ I mentally nodded; the sound of her footsteps growing nearer and nearer. I could feel my face getting stonier and stonier, hard and rough. I was absolutely going to end this.

She rounded the corner and my stomach dropped. In her hands were two towels, folded to perfection. As she set them down in front of me, she winked. "There ya go; two towels, just got out of the dryer ya know. They should be nice and toasty, boy."

Without a word, I took one and began to dry my hair, which was still dripping wet. _It was warm…_ I could smell the scent of fresh cotton and linens. It was sweet and pure. She smiled at me as I wrapped the towel around my shoulders. "Kay, now that that's settled, how bout some chow? Bettcha you're hungry…" She waggled her eyebrows and laughed a loud, gravelly laugh.

_Order. Eat. Sleep. Leave. Order. Eat. Sleep. Leave._ The voice hissed in my head, over and over again. I opened my mouth and sat there, words just on the tip of my tongue, but useless in my muted state. _Leave. Leave. LEAVE._ I then shook my head, making Ann's face change dramatically. Her face showed the emotions of surprise and a little annoyance. I looked away as I stood up walking to the stairs. "N-No thanks… I-I'm n-not h-hungry r-right n-now… m-maybe I-I'll h-have s-something t-tomorrow…"

* * *

**_Miss Rouge Apple~_ Heeeeellloooo all! It's been awhile, I know. But at least I made it before the month mark! *...cricket, cricket* ehehehe... ^^' whoopsies... Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took a good decent brain frying to get this done! I call this the 'explanation chapter', because it explains how Cliff got into the church. Well, not really... Like I said, BRAIN FRYING. I have in mind what _really_ hooks Cliff into the Church, but that's to come! I would greatly appreciate it if you reviewed! It means the world to me dearies!**

**Toodle-oo for now! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The church was almost completely silent, as usual. Carter had set up a tiny table, right in front of the podium, and had covered it in dried fruits and flowers. Grapes and their green lithe vines curled and fell off the sides of the table, giving it a whole draping effect. Apples were withered and were ranging in colors, from faded crimson to pale green. Bronze pieces were set out; candle holders, bowls, cups with deep burgundy wine, and, in the center of course, the striking statue of the Harvest Goddess herself. How the candles flickered silently, making her brownish-red skin glimmer with a fiery warmth.

I sat in the front row pews, as always, and stared at the display with awe. Carter had explained to me before, that for me to stay in this church and worship the Harvest Goddess, I must first undergo a sort of 'ritual'. He explained it was quite easy, and it would only take a mere minute or so. I was thrilled, ecstatic! I smiled to myself and sighed. _A new start… _

It had been two weeks since I had found myself in the tiny settlement of Mineral Town. Though I really didn't want to leave, I couldn't help but bear the growing knot in my chest. Fourteen days… it was the longest that I've ever stayed in one town at a time. And for some reason, the fact that I had outlasted the record made my stomach do flips, and not the good kind. Maybe this was a mistake, being here now and making a decision like this. My brows furrowed as I thought of the candle; the candle that I held in my hands, weeks ago, when I was deciding to flee the town. I remember the flame; tiny, yes, but the shock of it spontaneously combusting like that… with no match or lighter… A small pang of anxiousness hit me. _It must've been an omen_. _Yes, yes… an omen._

_No… what am I thinking? An omen? Please! Why would I get an omen just for deciding to leave Mineral Town?_ I frowned and let my chin fall into my palms, which was held up by my elbows on my knees. _Maybe I'm thinking too much…_ I nodded to myself quickly. The sounds of footsteps across the worn red carpet were fast approaching. Though muffled by the runner, the sounds still were quite loud in the spacious church. I heard the large wooden doors close, the very last wind of air shooting into the church. I shivered as Carter walked towards the front table. He looked over and smiled at me. "It shouldn't take long. I know it's late and you want to go back to the Inn…" I mentally groaned, thinking quite the opposite. There wasn't much to do at the Inn. After my day at the church, I would eat whatever Ann served me, go upstairs, and fall asleep if it came to me. Not exactly looking forward to that…

I nodded to Cater anyway, not wanting to correct him and not wanting my voice to ring so loudly in the church's walls. He waved me over and I stood up, my legs a little stiff from sitting all day. He walked behind the table, in between the podium and the table's edge. I stood across from him, my shoulders hunched over and my arms wrapped around my torso to keep warm. He smiled at me and then asked, "Shall we?"

I took a deep breath and then slowly nodded; Pastor Carter began. He picked up a candle, pale green and smelling of sage. It had a bronze holder around it, the shapes of lithe branches curling around its edges, like ivy growing on a tree. Smiling, he handed it to me saying, "This candle represents the abundance of the spring harvest; may the Goddess help it grow and be plentiful." He pursed his lips, adding, "May the Goddess provide aid to our search. A farmer is desperately needed in our small town. Without a provider, our town might diminish."

He looked over at me and nodded. "Praise the Goddess." He said quietly, handing me the candle in his hands. I took it; it was warm, almost as bathwater. I held it tight as he took out a thin torch-like instrument. It was long and narrow, wooden, and at its very tip was what looked like a gray almond. Carter scraped the thin torch against a rough rock (granite?) and it lit instantly. It was a tiny blue flame; no orange or yellow, just azure and white. I watched as he leaned over and held the fiery end of the torch to the small wick in the candle I was holding.

I stared as the flame transferred to the wick, a small flare sparking and then igniting. Carter took back the oversized match and smiled. I watched as the wick burned from a white to a deep black, the fire charcoaling it. I felt a gaze on me and I looked up to see Cater staring at me expectantly. I felt my cheeks redden and I gulped. He pointed to the spot where it had been before and I set it down carefully. Well, not carefully enough, because it almost tipped over when my fingers shook, pulling back. We both inhaled sharply and waited a few seconds, staring at the candle that could have burned the whole church down, and then began once more.

The Pastor then picked up another candle; this time, a deep yellow and having a slight citrusy scent. It, too, had a bronze frame. It twisted in the silhouette of wind swirls, curving and bending, holding the candle to its metal casing. Cater spoke, "This candle represents the wealth of the summer harvest; may the Goddess grant many rains to quench the crops' thirst."

Again, he handed me the candle, slipping in a quiet, "Praise the Goddess." He held the torch out again, lighting the candle. I placed it back onto the table, this time, with less shaky hands. A warmth ran through me when I saw, from out of the corner of my eye, Carter smiled at me. The two candles burned brightly, making the bronze pieces alight with life. I bit back the smile of pleasure that seemed to want to escape on my lips. Carter proceeded.

He picked up yet another candle; deep crimson and having a heavy scent of cinnamon. It was then that Pastor Carter spoke again, "This candle represents the prosperity of the autumn harvest; may the Goddess warm the veins of her produce and survive the chilled winds." He handed me the candle, "Praise the Goddess." And then set fire to the wick so that it burned off the stunning cinnamon scent. I held back a cough when the smell got too strong; lovely as it was, it was just too overbearing. I placed the candle down, beside the statue. I wondered if the Goddess thought the same of the too fragrant candle…?

"This candle represents the solitude of the winter passing; may the Goddess rest her weary head and watch her harvest slowly descend back into the earth to sleep until spring." I quickly looked back up to see him holding a white candle, it's carapace a simple bronze cup. I took it into my hands as he said, "Praise the Goddess." I inhaled silently, wondering what it would be scented. But there was no fragrance. It was a simple white candle. Cater leaned over and lit it, allowing me to set it down.

Four candles burned brightly, making the Harvest Goddess' statue shimmer brightly. Carter then gave me a smile. "Would you like to pick out the final candle?" I rubbed my arm, a little confused. "The final candle is our offering to her." He looked sad for a moment, pursing his lips in a tight, thin line. "We don't have much to offer her anymore. We would burn fruits and things of that nature for the Goddess, but we barely have enough for ourselves. Fortunately, the Goddess also is pleased with scented candles. We try to pick ones that have been scented with fruits and such."

I nodded, understanding. He let out a sigh. "If only we had a farmer…" Picking himself up a bit, he took out four little candles, not even the size of my thumb. One was a bright gold, the other a silvery color, one that was a light pink, and the last a bright orange. _Strange colors…_ I pointed to the pink one, thinking at if it were to smell like anything, it might be strawberry. Strawberries were good.

The Pastor seemed pleased with my choice. "Ah, that one! Okay then…" He cleared his throat, and spoke, "This candle represents our undying love of the Goddess; may she live her immortal life happy and blissfully. Peace and love to our wondrous Goddess. Praise the Harvest Goddess." He gently pressed the torch to the very small candle and placed it in my palm. He whispered to me, "Place it in the statue's hands."

I looked at the statue to find her hands cupped, and her face directed downward, as if waiting for the gift. My hands shook slightly and I wondered that if I screwed up, would I set the table alight? I took a deep breath and then pinch two fingers around the candle, placing it into the Goddess' tiny bronze hands. It fell into place, a perfect flame making her face bright and vivid. Another surge of warmth ran through me, and I felt my lips curl up. Carter smiled at me and nodded in approval. "That's it, good job!"

Smiling, my hand went back to my sides. Carter nodded at me and said, "Wonderful job, Cliff! I'm sure the Goddess is quite pleased…"

I couldn't help my lips from curling even more upwards. "T-Thank you, C-Carter…" I spoke softly.

"Oh, don't thank me, Cliff! It was my pleasure. I haven't really had many people coming by to do these rituals, so I would end up doing them alone…" Carter sighed and then shrugged. "Well, it's much better than not being able to do it at all." I appreciated that of Pastor Carter; he seemed to know that anything could get worse, and to happy with what you've got.

Carter walked around the table as a knock rang out through the church. We looked over to the big wooden doors as they creaked open to expose a young woman, her face timidly peeking around the opening. Her dark brown eyes were big, magnified by her thick glasses. She was blushing, noticing the sudden spotlight. Looking away, her raven-colored hair fell into her face. Carter seemed to know her well, for he waved and beckoned her to come in. "Mary! How lovely to see you! Come in!"

She smiled sheepishly, and squeezed through the small opening, not wanting the door to make any more noise. It creaked even louder and her face flushed once more. Closing it quickly, she scampered over to us, a few books in her hands with papers sticking out of the edges every which way. She gave me and Carter another smile and piped, "H-Hello Pastor C-Carter…"

"You seem well, Mary! I've heard about your novel; it's going well, yes?" Carter asked and Mary nodded, blushing again.

"Yes, i-it is." Her eyes looked over at me and showed confusion. "I-I don't t-think I-I have seen you b-before…"

I looked down and Carter said, "This is Cliff, Mary. He helps me here at the Church."

She nodded and smiled. "T-That's wonderful! My n-name's Mary, as you already must have guessed!" She giggled and held her hand out. _Shake her hand_, a voice in my head whispered. I was confused for a moment, for it wasn't the hoarse, raspy voice that usually taunted me. This time, it was soft and soothing. Realizing her hand was still outstretched, I blushed and grabbed it, my palms sweating. I hoped she didn't notice. My heart was pounding in my ears.

Mary took back her had when I stopped shaking it. "H-How long h-have y-you been here?" She asked me, innocent.

I looked away. _Speak up_ the voice spoke again. "I-I've b-been here for a-about t-two w-weeks…" I replied quickly. She nodded, understanding.

"So you've b-been staying at the Inn?" I nodded, answering her question. "Oh, that's n-nice." She smiled at me and then turned to Carter. "May I play? I mean, I won't if y-you're busy or something…"

Carter smiled and shook his head. "I'm not busy at all, Mary. Please, enjoy yourself!"

Mary nodded, a small bow following after in a respectful manner before she scuttled over to the old organ. It was located in the right corner of the church, giving off an aged atmosphere, as though the whole church was older than you thought. It was made of a deep dark wood once long ago, but it had faded into an airy elm sort of a color; a ghost of its former self, you could say. Mary sat down on the stool, careful that her skirt didn't hang over or that her music fell. Her flustered hands were grasping some sheets of music and trying to grip the other books as well. After dumping the entire pile on the keys, she arranged them quickly so that they made more sense (to her) on a small stand.

Carter leaned against the organ's side as he waited for Mary to begin. She was adjusting her thick glasses, cleaning them before she began to play. _Sit and listen_, the voice piped, seeming anxious. Before I could think another thought, I sat on the pews behind the timid Mary. She put her glasses back on the bridge of her nose, pushing them up when they slipped, and then placed her pale hands on the ivory keys. She began to play very softly, low and sweet.

The music seemed to grow from under her fingertips, guiding her hands and making them slowly glide. I took the time to study her; she was pretty, with a roundish face and long, dark onyx hair. Her eyes were overlooked, for the first thing you saw were her shadowy locks; this was unfortunate, because her eyes seemed to be just the right shade of chocolate for her. I then noticed her clothing; baggy blue shirt with a starch white blouse and a matching skirt. It was conservative; that was for sure. But then again, with all her stammering and blushing, I had to assume that she was the conservative type.

Mary looked over at Pastor Carter, who gave her a quick nod, silently urging her to keep going. She tried to hide a smile as she looked back at the sheets of music, but her lips couldn't seem to help it. Her hands slid over the keys gracefully, as thought it didn't take more to play than just simply thinking of the notes. She made it look so easy. When I looked down at my hands, I frowned; comparing my calloused, rough palms to her dainty pale hands didn't seem quite to my advantage, that is, to play the piano. I sighed and just checked off another thing on the long, long list of things I couldn't do.

I looked up at noticed that Mary's song had ended. Carter clapped as Mary blushed, trying in vain to hide another smile. _Clap for her_; I clapped. Mary giggled and bowed her head, appreciating the extra hand. Her cheeks flushed over a light pink color and she gave us thankful looks. "O-Oh, I'm so glad you two like it…" She pushed her glasses up her nose again. "I-I hope I can work on some more songs for the festival next year. Y-You know; variety."

Carter smiled and nodded. "That's great, Mary. Thank you so much!"

She toyed with the hem of her shirt, saying, "I-It's no trouble at all, Pastor Carter."

As she began to pack away her music, the doors of the church burst open. Cold air swept into the room, making all of us turn to see what the trouble was. "JEEZ!" A voice cried, "It's FREEZING out there!" Mumbling, we heard them grumble, "What's a girl gotta do to get a decent jacket 'round here…"

Ann walked in, flurries on her hair and jacket. Her teeth were chattering and she was shivering, clutching a paper bag in her hand tightly. Her nose was a cherry red and her cheeks raw from the bitter wind. She looked up from her griping and noticed how we were staring at her, partially scared and in fear. Ann laughed; her voice even louder in the spacious room. "Sorry 'bout that!" She snorted. "The cold weather always puts me in a bad mood! You know what I mean, Mares!" Walking over to Mary, she nudged her with her elbow, which was wet from melted flurries. There was a tiny water stain on Mary's baggy shirt where her elbow came in contact.

Mary giggled and took the bag out of Ann's hands, which I couldn't help but notice were skinned from the cold weather and looking sore and rough. Mary nodded her head, looking into the bag and releasing some delicious scents into the air. "Oh, raisin bread and some relaxtea! You know me so well, Ann!"

Ann grinned and waved it off. "Anything for my best friend!" Mary smiled at that. "I heard you were going to practice here, so I wanted to bring you a little sumthin'-sumthin' before we head on out!" Ann was beaming her little redheaded face off; I couldn't help but smile a little myself.

Carter was offered a slice of raisin bread from Mary. Taking it, he asked, "Something planned tonight, Miss Mary, Miss Ann?"

Mary nodded, taking little bites out of one of the slices. "Yes, Pastor." She swallowed, covering her mouth. "We're going to have a sleepover at the library."

Ann smirked. "Just the two of us! We haven't had a sleepover in ages and I'm itchin' to talk with Mares here!" She punched the frail girl in the arm, who almost fell over. Ann laughed at her expression of surprise. She grabbed a slice and took a big bite, smiling from the flavor.

Mary recovered from the attack and then rubbed her sore arm. "I haven't seen you around either, Ann. I'm sure we'll be able to talk and catch up tonight."

Ann let out a _huff_. "We'd better! I've been holding in a rant all freakin' day! Dad's been gettin' on my last nerve, girl…" She folded her arms across her chest and she pouted.

The raven-haired girl nodded. "I see…" Suddenly, her pale face brightened up. "Oh, I wanted to tell you more about my novel!" Ann stopped pouting and then smirked.

"Is it that romance one again?" Mary's face burned red and Ann roared. Carter covered his mouth, trying to stop chuckling. I just watched as Ann continued to taunt her. " '…And then he ran to her! Grabbing the beautiful maiden, he dipped her back, his humongous muscles RIPPING THE VERY FABRIC OF HIS SILK SHIRT!' " Ann bent over as though she was the very man she described. We all began to laugh, with Mary's face still a crimson hue.

" '_Jeanette_…' " Ann purred in a French accent. " '_Jeanette, we have been apart for far too long…_' " Ann flipped over and brought the back of her hand to her forehead, pretending to be the maiden. " '_Oh, Raoul…But my family! Zey will never let us be togezer!' _" Mary snorted, and covered her mouth. Ann stopped and doubled over in hysterics. She slapped her thigh and pointed at her friend. "Y-You totally s-snorted!!"

Ann began to snort loudly, mocking her. Almost falling over, she grabbed my shoulder for support. I was laughing as well, enjoying for the first time that it wasn't me as the one stammering and blushing like a fool. Mary was laughing into her hands, trying not to snort and attract more attention. Carter cleared his throat, trying to stop laughing. "Alright, alright… How about one more song from Mary?"

I nodded and Ann hooted. "Yeeeeeaaaaah MARES!!!!" She shot a fist into the air. "WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP!" Mary blushed and put a hand to her red cheeks.

Pastor Carter gave Ann a disapproving look. "Thank you Ann…"

She stopped and smiled sheepishly, her ears turning a little pink. "Ehehehe… Sorry Pastor Carter…" Ann shrank back and stood next to me, being careful and quiet. Carter looked over at Mary and smiled.

"Will you play?" He asked her and she nodded shyly.

"Okay, Pastor." She replied, turning around to the organ and placing her hands on the keys once more; it was like that was where they belonged. Mary began to play once more.

It was melodic and sweet, low and humble. She played softly, unsure. Her eyes scanned the music on the stand, following it, being led. I could see Carter smiling; he was pleased. With a little hesitance, I turned my eyes to Ann, who was smiling also; this time, her blue eyes were sparkling with sheer delight and utter peacefulness. There wasn't the usual rambunctious that usually adorned her face, nor the feeling that she was just about to crack a joke or break into a laugh; just utter peacefulness. It was strange. I looked away when I realized I was staring. I mentally cursed at myself, hoping that she didn't notice.

_Catch her_, the voice twittered, as though a little frantic. I turned and saw Ann swaying a little to the gentle beat, and was confused. _Catch who? _I thought._ Why would I catch 'her' if 'she' wasn't-_ Ann's eyes opened wide as she lost her footing as she tried to spin; slipping. Before my own mind could catch up with my actions, I had already put my arms out and grabbed Ann underneath her arms. Carter turned and saw, his mouth open. "Ann!" Mary turned around, the music ending abruptly.

Ann looked up at me and gave me a little lopsided grin, her face still showing a little surprise. "W-Well that wasn't weird…" She laughed nervously. "Thanks there buddy, lifesaver." I helped her up and Carter gave her a look.

"What was that?" He asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know…" She rubbed the back of her neck. "I was kinda into the music; so, you know, I started dancin' a little." Chuckling, she said, "Guess I got a little too into it, huh?"

Mary shook her head and put a hand to her face; careful, though, not to smudge her glasses. "Ann…" She groaned. "What am I going to do with you…?"

Frowning, Ann said, "That's what my dad said!"

Carter sighed and then turned to Mary. "Thank you very much, Mary. It was quite beautiful, and only practice can make it better. The Harvest Goddess will surely be pleased next Music Festival." Mary nodded.

"Thank you Pastor Carter." She began to collect her music sheets. Carter turned and began to walk towards the table where he and I did the ritual.

"I'll clean up, Cliff; no need to worry about it. I hope you all have a nice night! May the Goddess bless you for a safe walk home!"

"Good night Pastor Carter!" Mary called to him.

"Nighty-Night!" Ann yelled. "Don't let the bed bugs bite!" She turned to me and smirked. "And thank _you_ for savin' my ass back there, buddy. I'll be sure to make you sumthin' special sometime soon." She winked at me and gave me a playful punch in the arm. I winced realizing that she _did_ have a pretty good cuff.

"Y-yeah…" I mumbled, rubbing my arm like Mary had before. "S-Sure…"

She grinned and turned to Mary, yelling, "LET'S DO IT TO IT, MARES! And maybe this time…" She let loose a booming laugh. "I'll read the novel _right _this time! We all know you want Gray to be your 'Raoul', don't we?"

_Laugh with her_.

And I did.

* * *

**_Miss Rouge Apple~_ D'AAAAAAAWWWWW! Tres cute-tay! I'm terribly sorry about not writing this sooner!! SO SORRY! I owe you guys BIG TIME. So, in punishment for my lateness, I will write you guys a one-shot for Harvest Moon and dedicate it to all my reviewers who have reviewed so far (and that includes if you review this chapter also). Well, it's not _really_ a punishment... So, if you guys feel I owe you something more, please say so in your review. Again, I'm terribly sorry for being so late! Love you, luvies and dearies! Hugs and chocolates for those who review!**

**Toodle-oo for now! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I watched from atop the stairs as Ann chatted with Karen, a local beauty who worked around the block at her father's store. Ann was laughing her big booming laugh while the brunette snorted into her palm, a glass of wine in the other hand. They were gossiping about a certain graying wine-brewer that had last been seen the night before getting kicked out by his chitter-chattering wife.

Karen was a looker, that was for sure. She had almost flawless porcelain skin and striking green eyes. Her light brown hair was long and reached her middle-back, giving her all over appearance a tall, but delicate atmosphere. Two things surprised me about the brunette as had Ann told me about her, just the other day. One, she was a drinker, and a good one to boot. Two, she was head over heels over the chicken farmer that lived just a few blocks down from the Inn. Despite his nerdy exterior and her exotic good looks, she was the one who got plenty flustered when he dared to hold her hand or give her a peck on the cheek. Though I had not met him yet, I sure did give him respect.

"…And then she told him he could just haul his no-good ass to the Inn, 'cause he wasn't sleeping in that bed with her." Ann remarked, cleaning a plate. Karen took a sip of the wine, giving her ruby lips a little lick when a purple drop missed its mark. She smirked and giggled a little.

"I heard from my mother that he had his trousers around his ankles…" Karen rolled her eyes and laughed. "What a joke…"

Ann nodded, rolling her eyes herself. "Oh, you know it. Do you know what boxers he was wearing?" Karen leaned in and put her chin on her hands, answering her question. "He was wearing a pair of boxers with little hearts on them." Ann snorted and smirked. "My dad has the same pair, I've washed them."

Karen chuckled and tilted her wine glass in circles, watching the amethyst liquor. "My mother said it was little wine bottles with red wine in them." She rolled her emerald eyes once more. "But she wasn't there, as usual. She just hears stuff and makes up whatever she doesn't like in the real story to make it sound better."

Ann pursed her lips. "Engh, forget it. Hey, did you know that Duke made up with her this morning?"

"Oh, really?" Karen asked, her voice giving reason that she didn't believe her. "Well, what did he do this time?"

Ann smiled and had a far-off, dreamy gaze. "He dressed up in a tux and knocked on the door, and when Manna came out, he handed her flowers and a box of chocolates." Karen's fine eyebrows rose and she smiled, too. "And when he told her how much he loved her and was sorry for forgetting to pay the bill, they started to kiss…" Karen sighed and cupped her cheek in her palm.

"How romant-" Karen's dreamy sentence was cut-off by Ann's booming laughter.

"What a load!" Ann chortled, putting the plate down and beginning to shine another one. Karen began to glare at the redhead as she kept laughing.

I smiled a little, a part of me knowing that Ann was going to say that. Though I hate to admit it, I've found myself watching her washing plates or cooking over and over again. She was confident in her movements, not a hint of hesitance. I was envious of her buoyancy, her coolness. I had secretly hoped that if I watched her, that it would it rub off on me. Of course, I never spoke to her anymore, unless we were alone, and she did all the talking. I guess it was just too nerve-wrecking to say a single word anymore.

Ann was always just too happy to speak to me. She always had a topic to chat with me about, or at least, tell me about (for I never really said a word). I tried to avoid getting into them, the conversations. Hey, I'm not being anti-social, it's just… I don't want to talk. I mean, I _liked _talking to her. She was happy, bright, cheerful… Ann was a great person, but I _just don't want to talk_. Sighing, I watched as Ann made Karen burst into a fit of giggles and I enviously wished that I could make someone laugh like that.

_Look out!_

A hand clamped down on my shoulder and I jumped about a foot in the air. I whirled around to see my sullen-looking roommate scowling at me. His blue eyes were quite icy and were shadowed by the brim of his hat, only making him more intimidating. I gulped as he growled in a low, menacing voice, "What're you? Some kind of stalker?"

Needless to say, he still did not like me one bit. Gray never really gave me a chance, but I was fairly warned by Ann that he would most likely never warm up to me. "He's just like a bitter old man stuck in a hot, young blacksmith's body." Ann had once told me, as she had been folding dirty sheets to throw into the hamper. When she had seen my shocked expression, she smirked and said, "Oh, don't look so surprised! Mares might be crushin' on the jack-ass, but you have to admit, that guy's got a helluva butt." Of course, I had said nothing to that, but when she laughed at her own joke, I felt a strange sensation in my chest. I don't know what it was, but I didn't like it.

Now, as I shook under the frightening glare of the very same blacksmith, I couldn't help but feel that same sensation in my chest. It wasn't jealousy, though. No. I wasn't jealous. But I was sure as hell scared for my unbroken bones. Gray let go of my shoulder and looked down at the two girls, and then smirked. "Thought Ann was done her shift for the night…" It was late, way past her usual time for quitting for the night. Uh, I mean, not like I knew it off the top of my head or something… I mean, ten twenty-three is a pretty common time, right?

Gray began to trudge down the stairs as he grumbled, "Hit me with a beer, Annie." Apparently, he was the only one who could call her that. Actually, she seemed to like it; but only if it was him calling her that. It seemed to be an inside joke to the redheads. Ann beamed at him, something I was now accustomed to, and gave him a quick wink.

"Hey there jack-ass, didn't think you'd come down from your cave of 'solitude'." Ann bent over to grab a bottle of beer from underneath the counter. Before she disappeared, she bobbed back up for a second to warn, "And I'm not letting you drink any more than two bottles! We're runnin' out of this shit…"

Gray took the bottle out of her hands when she came back up and gave her a scowl. "Whaddya mean we're runnin' out?"

Ann rolled her eyes at him as he took a swig. "I _mean_ that we're runnin' out of foods-stuff. We don't have much in the back and we don't got much money either. We gotta pay for the food somehow, and it's gonna come out of the beer, which doesn't sell as much as everythin' else."

Gray gave her a look, as if to say through eye contact 'Yeah, but _I_ drink this shit'. "And why can't the wine be taken off the menu?" Gray asked. Karen smirked as she seemed to inhale the rest of her drink, gracefully.

"Because I'm the head drinker in this town and if the wine goes, I go." Karen replied, putting her glass down and pointing at it, as if a sign for Ann to fill it up. Ann frowned at her friend, but picked up a bottle of wine and filled Karen's glass up once more, like the waitress she is. Karen didn't waste time taking another swing. Gray's brows furrowed as he thought this answer out. Ann smirked as she seemed to piece it together first.

"…So if Karen goes, there goes about half of our profits down the drain; wine goes, Karen goes, we're out of a business." Ann said, her voice seeming to slow down around the words 'out of business'. They were silent a few seconds, the tiny group seeming to muse over this. Gray took a few swigs of the beer during the quiet, his eyes stony and face rigid. Karen sipped her wine, her face still adorning her attractive pout, but her eyes glazed over. Ann took a quick breath and replaced her thoughtful trance back to her usual smile. "But that doesn't matter. We're fine! Fine, absolutely fine, we are absolutely fine."

She busied her hands, as though it washed off her thoughts and kept her mind at peace. "Cliff, I know you're listening." My cheeks burned as the two others looked up in my direction. Ann didn't even glance. I couldn't see her face, but her voice sounded as though she was smiling. "Get down here boy, before I make you come down. Grab a chair and have yourself a drink!"

I didn't want to make myself look more like a fool (and as said by Gray before, a stalker), so I walked down the stairs, mentally cursing my big feet for being so loud and my red cheeks for blushing so much. I rounded the staircase and took a look up from the floor to see Ann glancing up from drying a plate, smiling at me with her bright smile. Karen was smirking and studying me, her piercing green eyes studying me from top to bottom. Gray was frowning and taking another chug at his beer. I felt a shiver want to quiver down my spine, but I held it back and just made my eyes go directly back to the floorboards. It was my escape from the chilly glare Gray seemed to be chucking my way.

As soon as I sat down between Karen and Gray, the brunette beauty leaned over the counter and put her hand out. I blushed as she smirked at me, her striking eye half-lidded. "Karen…" She purred in a velvet soft voice. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure to meet yet…"

_Shake her hand._

I grabbed her hand, feeling embarrassed about my larger, calloused hands. But if she was bothered, she didn't show it. In fact, she seemed to smirk even wider. "And you must be Cliff." Karen chuckled; it reminded me of wine glasses clinking together. "Ann has told me so much about you…"

Now a little worried, I peeked over to Ann, who seemed offended. Her cheeks puffed out a little bit as she snapped, "Nothing bad, you moron!" My cheeks heated up and Karen laughed again. I shrank back and she then pursed her lips, her eyes showing a little guilt. She then gave me a quick smile, and then promptly stuck out her tongue playfully. It didn't make me feel any less bad though.

_Listen to Karen._

Turning back to the brunette, I realized that she was talking to me. "So, Cliff, I haven't seen you around here before…" Karen took a sip of her wine before continuing. "Do you just hang around here all day?" Her eyes sparkled, as she was amused when my cheeks flushed.

"N-No…" I muttered, looking away. "I-I go to the C-Church…"

"Ah, the Church." She smiled at me, nodding. "So you're religious?" She had a nice silky voice, and I liked listening to it.

_Speak quicker!_

"U-Uh, I-I had never h-heard of t-this religion b-before…" I admitted, avoiding her eye contact. She seemed intrigued by me. "I-I had j-just l-learn of it r-r-recently…"

Gray snorted, and Ann slapped his arm. But it was like slapping a rock, for the un-pained look on Gray's face (and the expression of agony on Ann's) gave it away. Karen just looked at the two and smirked. Though staring at the other two, she continued to question me. "So you've never heard of our Goddess? Hmm… strange to hear from my point of view…" Another gulp of her wine and it vanished from the glass. After noticing my look of confusion, she smiled and reiterated, "I'm just saying that I grew up with the Harvest Goddess, and it's weird to hear that you've never heard of her before." I nodded, tracing circles into the counter, following grains.

_Stop that._

My hand flinched away from the wood as though it had just been set aflame. Obviously it hadn't, but the others gave me looks as though _I_ had just simultaneously combusted. Ann blinked a few times before asking, "You 'kay there buddy?"

I nodded, blushing for umpteenth time that day. Karen giggled as I looked away from Ann, my face's temperature burning up faster than a newspaper in a fire. Gray smirked at my uncomfortable-ness and finished off his beer, placing it down on the counter and then giving Ann a look, as if silently saying 'Beer me'. She rolled her eyes, but picked up another beer underneath the counter and handed it to him. Gray then murmured, "Thanks, Annie."

"No prob, Clyde." Ann smirked and he gave her one back, an inside joke between the two, I presumed. She turned to me and smiled. "So, Cliff, do ya want a little sumthin'-sumthin' to drink?"

I shrugged and then thought better. "S-Sure, t-thank y-you…"

Ann waved it off as though it was no big deal. "Not a problem..! You know, I've just come up with this little drink just the other night. Wanna be a little bold and try it?" She had a mischievous sparkle in her blue eyes. My instinct was to quickly shake my head and decline as fast as possible.

_Be bold! Try it!_

Well… I shrank back and thought a moment before looking over at her and then nodding. She broke out into a laugh and boomed, "That a boy! I'll be back before any of you guys miss me!"

Ann whirled around and disappeared into the kitchen as Gray muttered, "Then she can take as long as she wants…"

"I heard that!" Ann retorted, and I could just see the pout on her lips in my mind. Gray chuckled and Karen snorted into her palm, then looked over to the Inn door, as if patiently waiting for someone to arrive.

Gray caught her staring at the entrance and muttered either to me or himself, "Must be lookin' for Rick…"

As if on cue, the doors opened wide to reveal a young man, around my age. His glasses were foggy as he scanned the room, looking for someone. And judging by his long strawberry-blonde hair, lanky figure, and geeky persona, I had to guess that this was the Rick I had heard about. He slid off his old, worn brown jacket and hung it on a coat hanger that was next to the door. Rick wore a baggy green sweater, which was overlapped with a short azure apron. He walked across the floorboards, finally spotting Karen.

I was surprised to turn to her and see her cheeks flushed pink and a small smile on her lips. She looked as though she was a young girl who just saw her boy crush. Well, same idea, older ages. Karen got up and met him in the middle of the floor, giving him a quick hug. Rick hugged her back, then ending it with a peck on the cheek. Karen giggled.

They were quite comfortable with each other, I noted as they began to walk back, Rick's arm securely around her waist and holding the small of her back. Karen was smiling widely, with a little bit of the blush still lingering on her cheeks. Now closer to Gray and I, Karen introduced him. "Cliff," She began, giving a fond look to her beau. "This is Rick Little, my boyfriend. He owns the farm a couple blocks over."

Rick smiled and held out his hand to me. "I don't own the farm; I just work on it with my sister and my Mother." I shook his hand.

"N-Nice to m-meet you, Rick…" I said.

Rick nodded. "Nice meeting you, too, Cliff."

Karen smiled at the two of us. "Sorry to cut this little introduction short, but we've got a couch and a movie calling us at my place."

The chicken farmer grimaced. "It's not 'P.S. I Love You' _again_, is it?"

To this, the brunette frowned. "So what if it is?"

Gray chuckled and took the last swig of his beer. "Makes me glad I don't got a girlfriend."

"That's because they're hiding from you, dumb-ass." Ann came out, holding a mug that was foaming from the brim. She set it down in front of me, and then looked over at the couple. "Hey Rick, t'sup?"

He smiled and shrugged. "Nothing much's going on. Popuri was telling me that she wants you to come over sometime."

Ann nodded and rolled her eyes. "Okay, if I _have _to…" She said facetiously; Ann had been wanting to go to see her for quite some time. Rick nodded, smiling and understanding her sarcasm. "Tell the chicken we'll plan a girl's night this week. And I don't care if Pops fires me for 'lack of commitment'…" Ann folded her arms across her chest and smirked. "'Cause I live here." Gray rolled his eyes and Karen snorted into her palm again. Rick smiled at her and let his hand move from the small of her back to around her waist, his hand on her upper arm. Karen's cheeks flushed a rosy pink.

The wind outside began to whip a little harder, making a worry line in Rick's forehead crease. After a few seconds of musing to himself, he said, "Think we should head to your place? It's already dark as is…"

Karen looked behind her at a window, only to purse her lips at the oncoming wind storm. "Yeah, I guess…" She turned back to us and grinned, showing off her perfect white teeth. "It was nice seeing you guys, but we better get going."

Gray mumbled a, "See ya…" as they turned and headed out the door. I watched Rick take his jacket off the hanger and wrap it around Karen, who gave him a shy kiss as thanks. Rick only smiled and put his arm around her again.

"Come back soon!" Ann yelled from the counter. "Or I'll track you down and bring you back myself!"

Gray rolled his eyes and gave Ann a look. "No wonder your business is lousy, you're scaring off the customers…"

Ann was quiet a moment. My brows furrowed as Ann pursed her lips, not looking at Gray, who didn't seem to piece together what he had said and how it affected her. I looked up at her and saw her playing with her fingers, wringing them until they became red.

_Drink it._

I looked at the drink in front of me; it was still bubbling orange-ish foam. "…A-Ann…?" I stammered.

She looked over at me and put on a smile. "Yeah?" I nodded my head to the drink and her eyes seemed to glow a bit brighter. "The Super-Mega-Awesome-Possum-Juice!"

I paled and gulped. _P-Possum?_ Gray snorted and gave her a look. "What the hell did you call it?"

Ann grinned. "Super-Mega-Awesome-Possum-Juice!"

Gray frowned, muttering, "Looks more like I-Just-Puked-On-A-Possum-Juice."

She frowned, mumbling under her breath something unintelligible to me, but it sounded like a string of profanities. Puffing her cheeks out a bit, she retorted, "Yeah, well, it tastes great! I think… I haven't tried it yet." Now, with her cheeks a little less inflated, she beamed at me. "Ready?"

_Drink it_.

I gulped once more and gave a look at the mug. Gray and Ann watched as I picked up the ceramic cup in my hands; it was cool. I could smell something citrusy as I put it to my chapped lips and when it touched my tongue, I felt it tingle my taste buds. It was… good. It tasted like she had mixed everything in the kitchen that was a liquid together, but it was rather refreshing. I put it down and wiped my mouth with my wrist. Ann leaned over the counter, expectant. "Weeeeeeeeell…?"

I had to be honest. "I-It was g-good."

Gray cocked his head to the side and Ann whooped, beginning to dance a little dance. "Yes!" She sang. "Yes! Yes! Whoo!"

"Lemme try." Gray mumbled, grabbing the mug and taking a swig. He swallowed and put it down, thinking. He raised his eyebrows and nodded to Ann. "Not half-bad."

"Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Uh-huh! Uh-huh!" Ann kept on singing and dancing. I smiled as she began to swing her hips and bob her head, messing up her braid. Gray chuckled when she was done, her ribbon hanging onto her hair, but just barely. She took her ribbon out, but a hair tie held everything else in place. She smoothed out the top of her head, before saying, "Success…!"

"What was in it?"

Ann smirked and replied, "Oh, just some stuff I found in the refrigerator that we didn't really sell often."

As she rattled off on some list I couldn't help but think to myself, "_Oh, just some stuff I found in the refrigerator, ah hell, I just dumped anything into a cup to see if they'd drink it._"

Looking back up at Ann, I realized she was glaring at me. Gray was laughing up hysterics as Ann's face got redder and redder with fury. "_What_ did you say?!" Ann shrieked. Uh-oh.

"D-Did I s-say that o-out loud?" I stuttered, now fearing for my life. Ann nodded, her eyes looking more and more like blue flames. Gray grabbed my arm, holding it for support as he chuckled loudly. I blanched as Ann began to run around the counter, coming after me.

Suddenly, Gray yanked me out of the way as Ann reached to grab my arm. "Run!" Gray laughed, running up the stairs as I followed. Ann was gaining. "She's gonna kill you!"

"THAT'S NOT ALL I'M GOING TO DO!" Ann screeched as she sped up the staircase.

Once in our room, Gray closed and locked the door as Ann reached it, pounding on the wood. Poor wood…

She finally let out a furious, "UGH!" and stomped away to who-knows-where. Gray was still laughing as he sat on his bed. I was scared out of my mind.

I looked over at Gray, waiting for eye-contact before I could speak. "D-Does she…" I bit my lip. "D-Does she a-always a-act like t-that when-"

Gray snorted. "You think that was bad? Goddess, if you thought that was the worst, you're screwed."

My face turned red and he shook his head, smirking. "Engh, don't worry 'bout it. I got your back."

* * *

**_Miss Rouge Apple~_ Well? I was happy with the beginning, but the end was.... blech, in my opinion. Ah well, what's written is written. I'm trying to write how Cliff begins to meet people and know the town a bit more, but I don't want him too comfy. Plus, I need to write more scenes with him and Ann (Oooohhhh...). They _might_ be fluffy and romantic or they _might _show tension between the two; I don't know, depends on my mood I suppose, dearies ^^.**

**OH! Before you go! Please go on my profile! I'll have a poll waiting for you! It's about my next one-shot and what it'll be about. I've decided to post my ideas on the poll and let you guys decide what I'm going to write next. But that's only for one-shots, I'm afraid. I'm in conrtol of my long-fics *evil laugh: mwufufufufu...* Ah-hem, sorry, that was creepy... Nonetheless, please go and vote! And review! You know I'll write back! It's a pleasure to talk to you all!**

**Toodle-oo until next time, luvies! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was far too early in the morning for me to wake up, but my eyes involuntarily opened anyway. Darkness met my vision, deep and shadowed. I could hear the growl-like snores from my roommate as he slept (rather loudly, if I may add). Gray began mumbling, muttering something about a 'perfectly fine' necklace and a crotchety old man, and then he began to snore once again. Wanting the deep sleep that had overcome Gray, I tried to close my eyes. But I could not close my eyes once more. I was condemned to stay awake until the sun rose. Turning my weary head towards the side table, conveniently located next to my bed, I squinted my eyes as I tried to make out the tiny red lines on the little analog clock. 5:32. Oh, just wonderful. I mentally groaned and flipped over, refusing to stare at the clock any longer; I knew with my luck, it had just turned to 5:33. I stared up at the blank, shadowed ceiling and counted my breaths, long and even. One… Two… Three… Four…

_Sleep and rest._

I frowned to myself. I couldn't sleep. I mean, I could try, but it was just one of those nights that would only result in tossing and turning, minutes ticking by slower and slower until time seemed to stop. It wasn't unusual; everyone gets a night like that sometime. These nights just seemed to like me more than most average people, and met me often. And to be honest, I didn't like not being able to sleep. I wanted rest; deep soothing peacefulness that would put my mind at ease under a blanket that stifled it and its dreaded memories. While the nightmare that plagued me was indeed absolutely horrifying and painfully spine-chilling, I had to admit to myself I'd rather watch myself drown night after night than endure watching the same horrid memories over and over again. Like clockwork, I flipped over and closed my eyes tightly, willing them to stay shut.

_Sleep and rest._

But memories began to flood back to me. My eyes burned with the intensity of the past. Flashes of moments, so long ago, yet seeming as though they were yesterday, blazed in my mind, bursting with an astonishing force. They hit me, struck me, and caught me off guard. I felt a chill run up my spine, though I wasn't even close to being cold; I was burning alive. My face felt hot, my chest as though it were ablaze. My breath came out in small pants, shallow breaths. My throat was entirely too dry, gagging me, choking me. My own sweat was drenching me so that I felt my brown tunic clinging to my body. A whimper almost escaped my chapped lips and my eyes flew open wide, horror on my sweat-soaked face.

The only noises in the room were my jagged, raspy breaths and Gray's thunderous breathing. It took me a good five minutes to calm down, drying my face off with the sheet's corner quickly, and allowing myself to take a few deep breaths of the cool air around me. My lungs filled with the cold air, making my whole body chill. I remained staring at the ceiling, deciding to let sleep come to me, rather than force it upon myself. Hour after hour, I watched the shadows move over the ceiling, not an ounce of sleep overcoming me. Finally, after the seemingly endless eternity of the dawn, the sun's rays beamed through the window, making the frost shimmer that had chilled and stuck to the panes. In an exhausted trance, I lifted a hand to shield my eyes, which were half-lidded, but nonetheless open. I yawned.

To my shock, the door to the room slowly opened to reveal the silhouette of Ann as she tip-toed into our room. Well, I wasn't shocked; I knew she was going to come in eventually to get dirty laundry. But, I didn't know that that time had come so soon. In fear of her noticing me awake (and maybe even seeing the dark circles I could now feel that were under my eyes), I flipped over, putting my head under the sheets, and feigned to be deeply asleep. She walked over the wooden boards so lightly I could barely hear the soft sticking noise of her feet on the planks; now, that, I was surprised. She's usually louder, and likes to be so. Suddenly, as if realizing the same idea herself, I heard Ann trip and hit something with a _thwack_! I could now hear her jumping up and down, sucking air through her teeth and muttering curses under her breath. "FUDGE MONKEYS!!!" …fudge monkeys?

I heard Gray stir in his bed and the sound of sheets begin turned over. Gray had woken up. He flicked on the lamp on the bedside table and light poured through my sheets and my lids. I rubbed my eyes before realizing it was okay to finally 'get up'. I slid the sheets off of my head and looked over the scene; Ann was rubbing her foot, which was shoe-less, and Gray was giving her the dirtiest glare he could, very much groggy at 7 in the morning. "…the hell…?" He muttered

"Stupid fartnugget dresser… Danggit, this hurts!!" Ann mumbled. I looked over at Gray, who only closed his eyes tightly, shaking his head ever so slightly, as if to will himself to wake up at least a little. My mind whizzed; did I hear her wrong? Did she just actually say 'fartnugget'?

Ann was still rubbing her sore foot when Gray grumbled, "'Fartnugget'?" Nope, not just me.

She frowned and let out a very frustrated _huff_. "Yeah… Dad said I cuss too much, so he made me swear not to cuss or else I'll be 'forbidden'" She rolled her eyes. "to have a Stocking Festival party at the Inn this year."

Gray opened his eyes, only to narrow them in response. "Oh, and that would be _such_ a disappointment…" It was hard to miss the sarcasm in his voice. Ann dropped her foot and put both hands on her hips. I couldn't help but think of my own mother as she puffed her cheeks out defiantly and make her shoulders inch higher and higher to her ears. If she wanted to intimidate someone, I'd say in my place that she'd have succeeded.

"The Stocking Festival parties I throw every year are _so _fun! Just because you're lazy and tired after working doesn't mean that you have to be a-" She stopped and bit her lip, holding herself back a moment. "_Butt-head …_" She enunciated, finding the right word; Gray snorted. "And go straight to your room as soon as the party starts."

He gave me a look from the corner of his eyes, snorting once more. "Yeah, that's the reason why I fall asleep."

Ann bit her lip and her cheeks didn't inflate. "Oh… you…"

Gray smirked. "Oh… me…" He mimicked.

Ann scoffed and turned on her heel, beginning to stomp off. She then stopped, turned around to angrily grab the hamper with dirty linens and clothes, face Gray and blow a raspberry, and then stalk out of the room with her head held high. Gray only shook his head as he stretched in his bed, flipping the sheets off of him. I sat in my bed, staring at the doorway, left open and letting florescent light drift in. It took me a few seconds to realize that I had an incredulous grin on my face. It took me another few seconds to make it come disappear. Gray looked over at me as he walked over to the only dresser in the room; one of his eyebrows raised high, an expression of questioning on his usually stony face. Shaking his head again, he muttered something under his breath, too quiet for me to hear. I took the collar of my tunic and pulled it out, gulping and letting the cool air touch my neck. I did _not_ want to know what he just said.

_Ask him what he said._

What…? Did I not just say that I didn't want to ask him?

_Ask him anyway_.

I licked my chapped lips and got out of the bed, the cool air attacking me from all angles, fighting to chill me through my clothes. As soon as my feet touched the floor, my toes seemed to tingle with the iciness. I picked up the strewn bandages from the floor and began to wrap them around my shins, as I do every morning. Gray turned around as soon as I was done, giving me a skeptical look before ruffling his hair up a bit, and then putting on his UMA cap. He yawned loudly, not bothering to cover his mouth, and then walked over to the doorway, muttering something about getting a shower in before breakfast. I watched him leave and once the door was safely shut, I leaned back onto my bed and took a deep breath, wondering if I could get past Ann before I headed to the Church.

Ann had seen a pattern, one that I felt she didn't need to stop. Lately, I haven't felt hungry at all. My stomach would churn when I saw food being handed to me, which almost always came from Ann herself. About a week ago, I would have gobbled anything that she served me down. Later, I found myself only nibbling on it, my appetite lost. Now, I would only stare at it before pushing it away and heading to the Church. I knew the look of hurt that spread across Ann's face when every morning I left her food cold and uneaten; the familiarity of her and my mother would make my chest ache. The same ache began to start up again and I put my hand on my chest, willing it to stop. _That's why you don't talk to her anymore?_

I waited a few seconds, after hearing the soft voice again. Over the course of three weeks that I had been in Mineral Town, only one of them had the sugary-sweet voice ringing in my head. Not once had she –err- _it_ spoke directly to me. I blinked a few times, confused at the sudden change. I waited a moment, thinking that it might just have been a rhetorical question. Apparently, I was wrong.

_Well? She is the reason, isn't she?_

To my shock, my throat became dry. I didn't want to say that it was Ann-

_So it is!_

Whaaaa…?!

_Oh, give it up, Cliffy! Just admit it to yourself. Hey, by the way, I kind of like talking to you this way… a lot less formal and uptight. Tee-hee!_

I sat up on the bed and looked around, finally thinking that maybe it wasn't just me who was hearing this voice. Maybe it was real. Maybe someone's pulling a fast one on me.

_Fast one? Oh, pranks! Yes, pranks are quite funny! But not if that Witch from Forget-Me-Not pulls them… Ugh, she makes me so mad… Oh, sorry, I'm supposed to be listening to your problems today. Sorry, go ahead!_

My mouth was agape as I tried to comprehend everything that the voice was saying. So she –err- it could read my mind?

_Sure, you could call it that if you want. But I can do it to anybody, you know._

Then why me?!

_You seemed down…_

I wonder why…

Getting up from the bed, I walked out of the room, not bothering to check my appearance. The stairs were loud as I walked down, the boards creaking with every step. Halfway down the staircase, I stopped, listening for anyone. I leaned on the railing, looking around. Gray was sitting at the counter, wolfing down what looked like Scrambled Eggs, what was left of French Toast, which was sided with regular Toast, and what seemed to be a cold glass of Milk. I wondered how a person could eat all of that and not make themselves sick. "Gray! Stop eating so dang fast! You're gonna end up hurling it all up!! And I worked too darn long on your breakfast just to wipe it up off the floorboards, so you better chew and swallow Mister I-Can-Inhale-A-Turkey!"

_Hmm, apparently Ann agrees with you._

I couldn't help but gulp when I saw Ann come out, frying pan in hand. I personally thought she looked threatening -if she wanted to- _without_ the frying pan; but the culinary weapon seemed to add a bit more strength to the whole effect, making Gray look up from his food, stop for a moment to stare at Ann and her cookery bludgeon, then chew on the Scrambled Eggs he had in his mouth, and swallow. Ann nodded stiffly, finally putting the pan down; a physical relief to me. She leaned against the counter and sighed, her threatening aura seeming to disappear altogether.

"Sorry 'bout that Clyde…" She said, circling her finger in the pan and checking it for any grime or grease. "I'm a little aggravated since Dad said we had to cut back…"

Gray swallowed (after chewing for quite a bit of time, thanks to Ann) a bite of his Toast, and pursed his lips. "Ah, don't worry 'bout it. I know I get that way sometimes… You know Doug's only trying to keep the Inn afloat."

Ann frowned at the frying pan. "Which sucks- oop!" She covered her mouth, stopping only for a moment to look around for her father, finally letting her hand drop when she felt safe; continuing, "Which _really, really stinks_…" She emphasized, just to be cautious, wherever her father might be listening. Then, looking at Gray with an unhappy un-Ann like face, she added, "I wish we'd just get a dang farmer already…"

Farmer?

_Yes, farmer… The last town farmer passed away quite a long time ago. He was a wonderful man; affectionate father, loving husband, and an amazing neighbor and friend… He was a fantastic farmer, too. Unfortunately, after decades upon decades, it was his time. Months after he moved on, his wife sold the farm to the town and moved to the city to be close to their children and grandchildren; she couldn't bear working the farm alone without her husband, poor soul. The farm's been deserted for some time… It was because of the farm that the town is what it is today- Oh, well… maybe not _today_ exactly… But it sure was a sweet town at one time, and very prosperous._

I frowned at the voice's words, looking down over at Ann, whose face seemed to hit a gloomy spot. Ann took a deep breath, smiling a little and trying to pick herself up. "Well…" She started, picking up plates that had no food on them. "I'll just take these into the kitchen and clean up, okay?"

Gray nodded, his lips still pursed. He took the brim of his hand between his thumb and forefinger, adjusting it on his head. "So…" Ann drawled out from the kitchen, the sound of water running over china. "Whatcha doin' today?"

Gray leaned over the counter, wiping the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and shrugging. "I don't know… Might see Mary at the Library." I could see a small blush erupt from under that UMA hat of his. "She says she's got another chapter of her novel written, so I might head over there to go read it. Y'know… criticize an' stuff…" His blush deepened.

_OOO-OOOhhh… That's not all they're going to be doing, right Cliffy? Nudge-nudge, wink-wink! Tee-hee!_

My own face deepened into a red color as I thought about what she implied. Ann's loud, ringing laugh was heard from the kitchen. "That's not _all_ you'll be doing, aren't you Gray!" She laughed again, and I watched Gray's face turn from tomato red to a plum purple. To be honest, I wouldn't doubt for a minute that my face did just the same thing.

_Smart girl! She's got a good head on her shoulders, that Ann!_

I nodded in agreement, watching the scene unfold below me. Gray pulled the brim of his cap down, hiding his face as Ann skipped in, wiping her soapy-soaked hands on her over-sized overalls. She leaned over the counter, grabbing his hand and pulling it up so that she could see his overly-cooked blushing face. Ann laughed once more, this time slapping her thighs and grabbing the counter for support. I couldn't help but chuckle myself, which didn't go unheard. Gray looked up at me, and as the color from my face drained, a red flush hit his as he glared daggers. Before a split-second was up, he was smirking an evil smirk. I knew that smirk. Ann warned me about that smirk. Uh-oh.

"Hey Ann, Cliff's up." Gray said, pointing to me really fast. Ann was still giggling as she looked up to me, while Gray grabbed his Milk and ran for it. He was out the door before I could say 'cra-

"Hi Cliff!" Ann sang, giving me one of her bright, cheery smiles.

_WHOOO! GO GRAY!_

NO! NOT GO GRAY!

"U-Uh… H-Hello A-Ann…" I stammered, descending the stairs as slow as I could. I knew the question that followed suit of the greeting…

"You hungry?" She asked as I rounded the banister, making my way to the counter. Oh, that dreaded counter… Damn you dreaded counter…

"Um, w-well, y-you s-see-"

"Don't lie to me." She snapped, cutting me off like the green, leafy top of a carrot. "I know you're hungry. You have barely eaten a bite in days! Honestly, if you're looking after your figure or something, don't worry about it. If anything, you need some fattening up; you're skin and bones!" Ann held her hands out at me, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. I looked down at myself, frowning sadly. I'm not skin and bones… am I?

_Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!_

You know, I don't like your humor Mister…

_Hey, you sound like Ann!_

I frowned again, this time at the voice. Looking up, I noticed Ann giving me a look; expectant. "So, whatcha gonna eat?" She asked. "It's either French Toast or Savory Pancakes, buddy. I'm not letting you out of here until you've had your fill for the morning."

I began to back up, stuttering, "W-Well, I- I d-don't t-think-"

"Listen up, Cliff." Her blue eyes narrowed. "You now have two choices: you eat the food I make _willingly_, or I shove it down your throat through a funnel. Take your pick."

"W-Willingly p-please, s-sir, I mean, m-ma'am…" I said quickly, tripping over my words. Ann's intimidating face brightened to her usual vivid self and she gave me a quick wink.

"I'll get started on your French Toast, then! And I'll pretend I didn't hear that 'sir' comment you stumbled over, kay? Kay." Ann swaggered into the Kitchen without so much as a look behind.

_Buuuuuuuurn…_

I think I've decided I don't like you.

_Tee-hee! You say that now, but you wouldn't have said the same thing when I told you to catch Ann from falling, or when I told you to stay focused on Mary and Karen's conversations, or when I told you to-_

Alright, alright, I get it…

_Oh, Cliff, I don't think you do. If you 'got' it, I would be here talking to you right now._

Whaaaaa…?

_Cliff, I'm here to help you._

…I don't need any help.

_Oh, I think you do._

No, I don't.

_Yes, you do._

Nope.

_Yup._

But why?

_Oh, in due time, Cliff, in due time. I couldn't tell you now, or else you wouldn't learn. And learning is something everyone must do, all the time. You just missed a couple years of it, and now I'm here to help you get it all back._

Learning? You mean when I left high school?

_Not exactly, Cliff. You were still learning outside of school, after you dropped out. You were out on the streets learning, whether you knew it or not._

Well, now I do. So…

_So what?_

Are you going to leave me alone now?

The voice laughed, a sound like a summer rain drizzling over a field of wheat. _No, Cliff, that was not what I meant. You must learn again. After you dropped out of high school, and after you lived on the streets for a while, you stopped learning. You didn't speak to people; you retreated to the back of your mind. I'm here to bring you back out to the world and enlighten you._

Well, as wonderful as that sounds, I think I'm quite fine how I am.

"Cliff?" The sound of her voice caught me off guard and I jumped, almost tripping myself. I had to flail my arms a bit to keep my balance.

_Yeah, you're_ totally_ fine…_

…shut-up…

_Excuse me?_

Sorry…

Ann walked out of the Kitchen, French Toast in hand –err- on plate in hand. She placed it down on the counter, looking up and giving me a weird expression. Scratching her cheek, she asked, "Why are you still over there?"

I froze, my face turning red.

_Yes, Cliff, do tell…_

"U-Uh… I-I w-was, u-uh…" I looked around. "E-Enjoying t-the s-sights?"

_If you could see me, I would slap my forehead._

My face's color deepened as Ann's brows furrowed the exotic look of creeped-outness obvious on her. She slowly nodded, drawling out an, "Okeeeeeeeeeey-dokey then…" Then, after a quick shake of the head, she smiled at me. "Forget I asked. C'mon over here and eat, I don't bite!"

I nodded, walking on stiff legs and with a purple face over to her. Finally sitting down on the stool, I picked up the fork she handed me and poked it into the French Toast, pulling a piece out and popping it into my mouth. Ann grinned at me again.

"You know, I'm only forcing you to eat 'cause I care!" She laughed at herself, but a small warm feeling hit me in the gut, growing and fluttering. I blushed; but this time, it felt soft and bright, like a pink had brushed across my cheeks.

_Go ahead; smile. You know you want to_.

Ann's laugh died down and she gave me a nod, slipping back into the Kitchen where dirty dishes from Gray were ready to be cleaned. Once I felt safe and sure, I let my lips curl upwards into a big, goofy grin. And it felt good.

* * *

**_Miss Rouge Apple~ _HELLOOOOO FANFICTION DOT NET!!! No, I have NOT fallen off of the face of the earth nor was I eaten by my evil sister (whom is suddenly less evil for she bought me Harvest Moon: Animal Parade I LUV U SIS!). I'm TERRIBLY sorry for the delay and long-in-between time of this chapter. Let's just say that school was a big ol' mess, homework needed to be done, projects needed to be finished, and that Santa did a very awesome job this year are the reasons that I did not finish this in time. I now owe you... A ONE-SHOT! It shall be dubbed Mary's Bikini Incident, in honour of the last HM fanfic one-shot I had written. Since it seemed to be such a FABULOUS hit, and many questions were asked referring to the 'bikini incident', and that it was the winning one-shot of my profile poll, so you have asked, so it shall be written!!**

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter of WANDERER! Be on the lookout for the next upcoming Miss Rouge Apple one-shot... _Mary's Bikini Incident_!!!**

**Toodles til next time, dearies!!! :D **


	7. Chapter 7

**HELLOOOO~ I have returned!! I'm sorry this is so overdue... I have no excuses except for MAJOR BRAIN-WRITING BLOCKAGE. Oh well, my fault! I take full credit!**

**Okey doke, here ya go!**

* * *

Chapter 7

_Wind through my short hair. Wheat brushing against my cheeks as I stood still in the breeze. It tickled. I giggled and flicked the oats away from my face, but they just kept brushing back, like an over-playful puppy. There was a sweet voice behind me, and I turned to see a girl running towards me. Her brown eyes were sparkling as she smiled a bright, toothy smile. Her chestnut hair flew wildly behind her, giving her a natural, beautiful appearance. She came to me and picked me up, whirling me around. I laughed crazily._

_I couldn't tell what she was saying, but the tone was happy, bright, cheerful. She was so beautiful. She was so good. I hugged her tight as she ran with me, laughing. We were so close, so young. I loved her._

_She stopped a moment to put me on her back, and I did so willingly. She ran faster this time, towards a house. It was brick and had a warm, loving air about it. A man came out, his dark hair tamed by a low ponytail and his green eyes shining along with his smile. There was a woman by his side, her deep brown eyes easily compared to those of a doe. The man's arm was around her petite waist. They were in love. I loved them._

_I squirmed on the girl's back and she finally let me free. I ran to the couple, and the woman held her arms out to me. I ran as fast I could, my arms already outstretched, ready to receive the woman's embrace. Suddenly, the man's eyes opened wide and the woman withdrew her arms, clutching the man. Her mouth opened and a horrible, ear-piercing scream came from her lips. I turned around._

_Fire. Flames ate away at the wheat fields. Smoke filled the air. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't see. I tried to scream. I tried to shout. But no voice came from my mouth, as if lost in my choking throat._

_The woman was still screaming. The man ran forward, yelling. The girl was nowhere in sight._

_Fear._

_I couldn't move. The woman screamed. The man searched. The girl hid from the man-eating flames._

_Terror._

_The fire burned fast. The girl ran to the house, tears streaming down her face. The woman stopped screaming. The man didn't come back._

_Helpless._

_The man didn't come back. The woman searched. I ran to her, but she pushed me away._

_Sadness._

_The woman found the man. The man did not come back. But she held him, held so dear, so close. But he didn't come back. She sobbed so loudly, so horribly, she sounded as though a wounded animal. The girl cried. I cried._

_Man-eating flames had eaten the man._

I stared at the syrupy plate, my breath swept out from my own lungs. I took a deep breath, trying to regain my own senses. Ann walked out of the kitchen at the wrong time. She was smiling, until she saw me. Her grin was wiped off of her face. "Cliff?" She asked, leaning on the counter towards me with a worried gaze. "Cliff, are you okay?"

I looked at the wooden counter. "F-Fine…"

"Cliff… Cliff, tell me."

"I-I'm f-fine…"

"…You sure?"

"Y-Yes…" I kept my eyes down.

"Well, alright then… I guess…" I finally peeked up, noticing her eyes downcast. "You know I'm always here to talk to, right?"

_Say yes. Thank her._

"Y-Yes… t-thanks…" I looked back down.

Ann sighed and muttered, "Okay." With that, she turned around and went back to the kitchen. I didn't want a lecture this morning. I felt guilty for turning her away, but not enough.

_You should you know. She's only trying to help._

Well, apparently, that's your job.

_But you need human interaction, too._

I let out a sigh and got up, deciding to take my sorry behind to the Church, where I could sit in silence and be left in peace. Maybe Carter would be busy with the kids or something. I would finally be alone with my thoughts.

_Me?_

Ignoring the voice, I began to head to the door, when Ann's voice stopped me. "Cliff! Where you goin'?"

Goddess dammit!

_Language!_

I turned to face her. Ann was walking over to me, this time, without the look of worry. She was blank. "Where are you goin'?"

"…" I looked away from her expressionless face.

_Tell her. You can trust her._

"T-The C-Church…" I muttered.

"In _that_?" Ann folded her arms across her chest. "Cliffy, under this roof, you are under my rules. One of them is when you go to the Church, you wear clean clothes. March yourself upstairs and put on a clean outfit."

My jaw dropped.

_BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!_

"W-Wha?!"

"You heard me, Cliffy. March."

"B-B-B-But…"

"But what?" Ann tapped her foot impatiently. I blushed furiously and toyed with my wrists.

"I-I, uh, well… don't… um, have any… other clothes…" I muttered, my face heating more and more.

Ann rolled her eyes and snorted. "Oh, you make such a big deal out of the littlest things… Just go to your room, strip down, and give me the clothes through the door. No big deal. You'll get clean clothes, I don't see you _au naturale_. Does that work for you, Mr. Mute?"

My cheeks burned. She must have noticed I was trying to avoid conversations. I nodded, too embarrassed to answer. She smiled a little and headed to the stairs, waving her hand, beckoning me to follow. I shuffled after her.

_Do you feel guilty?_

Hmmm?

_For avoiding her conversations? Do you feel guilty?_

…I don't really know.

_Figure it out_.

I frowned as I headed upwards behind the redhead. When we finally reached the top, she went by my door and leaned against its frame, waiting patiently. I stared at her as I stepped through the threshold, her blue eyes stormy and troubled. My stomach did a flip, and not the good kind.

The door closed behind me, and I looked at it for a moment before undressing.

_She looked sad…_

Yeah, she did.

_Ask her what's on her mind._

No!

_Why not?_

It's her own troubles. No need for me to get into them.

_But she's your friend._

…We're not friends.

_Ask her. Have I lead you wrong before?_

…I slipped my tunic over my head, debating whether to speak or not. Finally, he dropped the tunic on the floor, walking to the door and bowing into it, pressing his hand against the wood and leaning his face closer. "Ann…?" He asked, his voice uncharacteristically even.

No answer.

"A-Ann?" He asked, a little louder this time, but cracking.

"Yeah?" She answered.

"…O-Okay?"

"What?"

"…I-I mean… A-Are y-you o-okay?" I asked, my voice softening. I heard the wooden planks creaking as she leaned into the door.

"…" She was silent a moment before answering, "I'm fine."

_You know she's lying_.

She said she's fine.

_But she was hesitating… You heard her._

That's not my problem.

I stepped away from the door and proceeded undressing. I slipped my shoes off, followed after by bandages. The scars were nothing but silvery memories. I ignored them as I slipped my trousers onto the wooden floor, leaving myself in nothing but boxers. I figured that it was better to just get those washed on my own. That, and, I could feel my flesh burning off of my own cheekbones. I couldn't risk them any further damage.

Picking up my discarded clothes, I opened the door a crack and handed them to the fair-haired girl. As soon as they were out of my hands, I closed the door, leaning against it as I heard Ann handling them. There was a crinkling noise, which caught my curiosity. "Cliff? Who are these people?"

My heart began to pound as realization hit me like a thousand bricks. "The little boy is so cute…! Oh, who is it?"

"A-Ann!" I yelled into the door. "Give me that photo!!"

"Oh, make me." Ann giggled. "How adorable… The little girl's holding the boy's hand…! It's so sweet!"

"A-ANN!" I yelled, getting more desperate. "A-Ann, p-please!!"

"Such a pretty girl, too… Lucky duck…"

Finally, I could stand it no more. I erupted from the door, tackling Ann to the ground. I grabbed the photo from her hands, triumphant. "Ha!" I cried, holding the old photo in the air. Then, I realized I was _wrong_, truly deeply _wrong_. I had not won. The totally opposite.

I was on top of her, my free hand grasping her wrists and pinning them to the floor. Her hair was messed up, an orange halo around her pale face. She was stunned, her mouth open wide. My own mouth was hanging open. I was too embarrassed, too terrified, too shocked to say a word. My face began to burn, unlike any other time in my life. I was straddling the daughter of the man allowing me to stay in his business… _in my boxers_.

We stared at each other, silent for a few moments, which felt like hours. Ann finally broke the hush by turning her head away and hissing, "Get offa me, you klutz."

"I-I'm s-sorry…" I said, scrambling to get off of her. She sat up, rubbing her back and avoiding my gaze.

"You could have just asked for the photo, y'know. You didn't have to go all half-nude-spaztic on me." She said, moaning.

I frowned. "I-I did ask you! Y-You didn't listen!"

Ann looked up. Her face was beet red, matching her hair. She was obviously as embarrassed as I was. "I didn't hear you." She seethed, still rubbing her back. "Sorry I'm deaf, Mr. Insensitive."

"I-Insensitive?!" I asked in disbelief. "A-Are you kidding me?! _I'm_ the insensitive one?! Y-You s-should be the one a-apologizing!!"

"Me?!" Ann shrieked. "YOU were the one tackling me to the bloody ground! You and your boxers!!" My cheeks were now red from fury. I snatched my clothes from the ground, slipping into my pants first. "What do _you_ think you're doin'?"

"I-I am going t-to the C-Church." I said, slipping my tunic over my head and over my chest. Once my bandages were quickly wrapped, I slid my shoes on.

"Oh, no, you're not." Ann said, getting up. "We need to talk about this."

"T-Talk?!" I asked, laughing bitterly. "I-I don't want to _t-talk_! I want to be left a-alone! I-I want to s-sit in the C-Church. I-I want…" I stopped, breathing hard. "I want to go."

"What?" Ann asked, incredulous. "You're leaving?!" I began to head down the stairs. Ann followed right after me, on my tail. "Wait! Don't! I'm sorry! I didn't know that the picture was important to you!"

I ignored her. I headed to the door.

_Listen to her!_

"Listen to me!" Ann shrieked. "I'm sorry! See? I'm sorry!!"

I finally turned to her, just as I opened the heavy wooden doors. Staring directly at her face, I muttered, "No one ever is." And I walked right out into the streets, slamming the door behind me.

Hours flew by as I sat in the front row pews. My head in my hands, staring at the wood grains in the floorboards. It was quiet, it was lonely; but I decided that was maybe how I liked it. Maybe… I wanted to go. Maybe I wanted to keep moving; maybe that was what I was supposed to do.

_You don't _have_ to do anything…_

I don't really want to hear you right now.

_Well, this is the one place where you won't be able to get rid of me, Cliff. My presence is strongest here._

The Church?

_Yes._

Why?

_It is a place for those in need of guidance. I am a guide._

Makes sense, I suppose…

_Well, I want you to know you hurt Ann. I could feel it. You really wounded her self-confidence. She really wishes that you'd come see her._

I'm not leaving.

_She's truly sorry._

No she wasn't. She was sorry that I said I was leaving.

_She didn't know, Cliff. She didn't know that photo was of you and your sister._

…How did you know that was my sister?

_Cliff, I know everything there is about you. There are no secrets between us._

…

_Ugh, I hate when this happens… Eventually I have to tell them I know 'everything there is to know about them' and then they get all quiet… Humph…_

I'm sorry, I just feel kind of _stalked_.

_You and I both, buddy… But that's a story for another day._

…Wha?

_ANOTHER time._

Alright, alright…

Standing up, I walked to the stain glass window to my left. The Goddess was looking up to the ceiling, a dreamy look on her face. Her usually pale, creamy skin was shining, due to the setting sun. The room was darkening, but the ceiling was vibrant with a kaleidoscope of colors and hues. I sighed and wondered if staying in this town for so long was the right decision or not.

Was I right? I've stayed in Mineral Town for… what? Three weeks? I came in a dirty vagabond in the end of autumn, and here I still am, towards the end of winter. Was I right to have stayed? Is it right _to_ stay? Do I even _want_ to stay?

Argh, too many questions. It used to be so simple. Move from town to town, stay no longer than a few days, find shelter, find food, find… Okay, maybe not _that_ simple. But it was easier than this. Emotions, feelings, trusting, wondering… And that was just _Ann_. I don't want to think about any others.

_Oh, but that's being _human_, Cliff. You'll learn; you know you will._

No, that's the thing. I don't think I can.

_You'll have to if you want to-_ _OH!_

What? If I want to what?

_Nothing! Nothingnothingnothing! That's for later, dearie!_

Later?!

_All good things in due time, Cliff._

…How about good things now?

_Nope! Tee-hee!_

I frowned at the voice. "Cliff?" Carter asked. I turned to see the pastor, walking from the confessional over to me. "Something troubles you?"

"N-No Carter…" I said, facing him.

The pastor pursed his lips, and then shrugged. "Alright then, if you're sure." He turned, but before he began to walk away, he faced me one last time, forgetting something. "Oh, and the Church will be closing for the night soon, Cliff. Just to let you know."

"…Y-Yeah…" I said, looking over to the door. "I-I g-guess I s-should g-go t-then…"

"Alright then. May the Goddess bless you for a safe walk home!" He said, smiling. I put up a small smile for him.

"S-Sure… T-Thanks… G-Good n-night…" I said, walking towards the door.

"Good night, Cliff."

_"Good night, Cliff."_

_I was in a bed, in a dark room, barely illuminated by a single candle flickering. A book was on my lap, open and unread. I looked up from it, spotting the girl._

_She was older, much older. Her hair was longer and damaged, her arms skinny and bony. But her eyes were focused, intelligent, and her posture strong. She was like a column; ever sturdy, ever there. I smiled at her, the sight warming to the heart. She was dressed in an oversized tee-shirt and shorts. "Good night…" I said, my voice not quavering one bit._

_She smiled as she slipped under the covers of her own bed. "You know… I heard from Mr. Arthurs that he's not too happy with your grades these days…"_

_I frowned, picking my book back up. "So?" I asked, uninterested._

_The girl frowned. "You should care, Cliff. You're going to go to college someday. Make me and ma proud. I lost my opportunity. I had to help ma."_

"_Yeah, I know." I said, my voice turning bitter. "I know all about your 'heroic' sacrifice. But why me? Why can't I just stay here? Why don't _you_ go to college, now that I'm old enough to take care of ma? I'm not college material."_

_The girl smiled sympathetically. "I know what you're feeling… You're just feeling the pressure… You'll make it, Cliff. You'll go far past everyone's expectations!"_

"_That's what I'm talking about!" I barked. "You and ma and the teachers… You expect me to rise above everything! What if I don't?" I asked. "What if I stay dumb?"_

"_You're not dumb-"_

"_I've faced it years ago. I _am_ stupid. But I'm not brainless. I'm not going to fall for pretty words or encouraging, petty speeches. But I'm going to _fail_." I spat._

"_Cliff!" She gasped, running over and slapping her hand over my mouth. She looked worriedly over to the closed door. "Cliff, you know very well ma has high hopes for you."_

_I swiped her hand off of my face. "And _that_ is what's killing me, too. Ma. I can't stand her anymore."_

"_Cliff!" The girl's eyes were fearful._

"_What?! What, am I going to lie?! Am I going to keep lying to you? To ma? To _me_?! I am who I am. I'm not going to get any smarter. I'm not going to get in college."_

"_Stop it!"_

"_I'm not! I'm not! I'm not smart enough!" Tears were burning in my eyes. But I blinked them back._

"_Stop it! Stop it!" The girl cried, tears of her own flowing. "Stop that talk, Cliff!"_

"_Shut up." I pushed her away, slapping my book on the side table and blowing out the candle. The girl was standing in the darkness. She was crying. "Good Night." I snarled._

I stood outside of the Inn, watching my breath go up into the skies as silvery puffs. It was late, and the sun had set long ago. I had hoped that the Inn would have closed and been locked up, forcing me to leave the town. But it was as warm and sturdy as ever. Like a column.

Opening the door, I slipped through. There were few people sitting around; two men at the bar, two ladies chewing over dinner in a far corner table. Pouring the men drinks was Ann, looking as expressionless as ever. My chest tightened at the sight of her grinless face. I walked slowly to the bar, ready for the worst of scoldings.

I stood in front of the counter, directly in front of her. Ann didn't look up as she poured wine in glasses. I gulped and stammered, "U-Uh… A-Ann?"

She didn't look up. My chest tightened further. Ann put down the wine bottle and picked up the glasses. She began to walk to the two men as though I hadn't stuttered a word. "A-Ann?"

She handed the men their glasses, and grabbing a rag from under the counter, she wiped the watery circles left from the previous cups. Worry began to build in me. "A-Ann?"

Ann stopped cleaning and began to walk around the counter, about to bus a table. I walked in front of her, making her stop. "A-Ann, l-listen to m-me..!" I was getting worried.

She looked up and I was taken aback. Her eyes were red and watering. Her nose was looking as bright as her hair and her cheeks were no longer rosy, but blotchy. Her eyes narrowed and were icy as she hissed, "Not. A. Word."

I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times like a fish before she finally spat, "The Inn is closing down."

* * *

**_Miss Rouge Apple_~ OI VAY!! Bet you didn't see that coming!! Or maybe you did... if so, how the hell'd you get in my head?! LOL! I joke! This was another fun chappy, and I'm quite pleased with how it's turning out. Well, you might not at this point and time. Wow... I know what's going to happen and you don't... Heh, it kinda sucks to be you. LOL!! I can TOTALLY use that to my advantage!! *evil laugh* MWUFUFUFUFUFU!! *scared audience* Whoops, sorry, that slipped out, I swear...**

***Ahem* Sorry... Until next time, TOODLE-OO!! :D**

**Oh, and please check out my profile to vote on what I write and you read! The choice is yours, readers!! 8D**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

My throat ran dry. I stared at the redhead for what seemed the longest time, when she finally drawled, "No need to be so caring, Cliff." It was hard to miss the sarcasm. She whirled around to leave for the kitchen.

I blurted, "H-How can t-that happen?!"

She stopped. She turned her face to see me. "Not too hard, y'know. No farmer, no food, no customers, no money." Her voice was bitter. "If he just had one of his sons take over or maybe a nephew or _something_, we wouldn't be stuck like this."

"W-Who…?" I asked softly.

"That FARMER. The one who _died_ and left us here like this." Ann snapped, as though completely obvious. "Now we're running out of places to buy food for cheap and all the other places are expensive and we're going to have to close _down_."

I just watched her as her whole frame seemed to droop. She noticed that I wasn't going to say anything, and finally dashed to the kitchen. This time, I didn't a voice to tell me to follow her. I ran behind. Ann was busying her hands, as though it was keeping things off of her mind. She tried washing dishes with shaky palms. I walked next to her, and she tensed. "Just leave me alone right now."

Her brows were furrowed and her knuckles were white as they held the dirty plate with a death-grip. She was very close to crying, and couldn't bear to even lift her head to look at me. I guessed she was embarrassed.

Her head lowered and she reiterated, "Leave. Me. _Alone_."

I liked my dry lips. My throat seemed to close up. "Ann…"

"Don't say anything!" She cried. "Don't say anything! You'll just make it worse!" She dropped the plate in the sudsy water.

"Ann-"

"No!" She backed away from me, covering her ears with her hands and shutting her eyes tight. Tears were slipping out of her lashes. "Just stop!"

"Ann!" I moved by her again, gripping her arms with my hands. She gasped and her eyes shot open. She didn't expect me to touch her. I didn't either, but it suddenly felt like the right thing to do. The _natural_ thing. "Ann… Just l-listen to me…" I said in a softer voice. "Y-You just need to c-calm down… I-It's going to be f-fine…"

"No, Cliff. It's not." Her voice was calmer, but full of sadness. "It's not going to be okay."

"Y-Yes, it will." I said, giving her a small nod.

Her eyes suddenly flared. "You don't know! You don't know anything!" I flinched at her harsh words. "You don't care! You don't! Stop acting like you do!" She fought back against my grip. "Let me go! Let me go!"

"Ann! S-Stop it!"

"Liar!" She cried. "Liar!"

"I _do_ care!"

I suddenly pried my hands away from her forearms and wrapped them around her, embracing her tightly. She stopped, stunned and dazed. I held her close, feeling her breath slow and her heartbeat even. She smelled of flour and spices. I tightened my grasp. "Ann… It'll be okay…"

I didn't know if it'd be okay. Not right now. But it seemed right to tell her.

She sniffled and then returned the embrace, hesitantly putting her arms around me. Not too tightly, I noted, realizing it was probably awkward for her. But something was oddly comforting holding Ann. It felt like I should have always known her. A part of me felt as though I should've been in Mineral Town a long time ago. And now the Inn was closing.

A pang of hurt hit my chest. I had to ask the question, "W-What'll happen?" I asked.

Ann hid her head in my shoulder. "I don't know… My dad said we might go back to the city, where they'll be jobs." I pursed my lips. "What about you?"

I hadn't expected that question. I opened my mouth once… twice… "I-I don't k-know…" I murmured. She picked her head up and the let me go. I did the same and the scent of spices was gone. She wiped stray tears away from her cheeks with her wrist, sniffling as few more times. She then looked up at me and gave me a small, weak smile.

"Thanks, Cliff… I'm sorry." My heart ached.

"Y-Yeah… Me, t-too…"

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Ann asked, her face showing confusion.

_Everything_.

"You _hugged_ her?" Gray questioned me as he entered the room. He had gotten back from the Blacksmith hours ago, but had stayed downstairs for a meal and a few drinks with Ann. I was lying on my bed, just staring at the ceiling, enjoying the silence and going over my thoughts. Well, I _was_.

I shrunk back and my face burned. "W-Well, 'h-hug' r-really i-isn't the w-word I-I'd use…"

Gray rolled his eyes, shutting the door behind him. "Get real, man." He shook his head as he placed his hat on the dresser, slipping out of his coat. "Why the hell'd you do that?"

_She was crying…_

"S-She… she looked like s-she n-needed it." I didn't want to embarrass her. I knew she'd kill me if I told Gray she broke down.

"Ann doesn't need hugs." Gray said, tossing his coat into the hamper. "She's… Ann."

I frowned. "S-So?"

Gray's eyes down casted. "Listen, I get that she's frustrated and upset by the Inn, uh, shutting down… But she not the touchy-touchy kind of girl. And you hugged her. And I'm going to tell you right now…" Gray leaned over my bed, glaring. "I don't like it."

I gulped, shrinking back into the pillow as much as possible. Gray's glare was hard not to reason with. I nodded fiercely. He then smirked and backed away, beginning to strip out of his pants, ready for bed. The smell of fire and metals was heavy on his clothes and skin. I had to hold my breath a bit to keep from gagging. "Listen, and listen good Cliff. Ann's like a sister to me. A real sister. And it makes me feel like crap to see something she worked hard with go down. I don't need to see her heart break."

Practically choking, my eyes opened wide and my mouth hung agape. "_W-What?!_"

"She thinks you're really good, Cliff. She thinks you're a good friend." My face flared, from embarrassment.

"O-Oh…"

"Whaddya think I meant?"

"N-Nothing!"

He gave me a weird sideways look, and then continued, "I'm just saying, she gets really attached to her friends. I don't want to see her get all upset." He rubbed the back of his neck, sitting down onto his bed and flicking the covers over his legs. "Plus, she does stupid stuff for her friends. And I don't want to see her doing something seriously screwed up for someone she's only known for a season. No offense, though…"

I wanted to frown, but he had logic. If Ann was that kind of girl -and deep down, I knew she was- then might end up doing something, well, stupid for me. I looked over at Gray. "W-What kinda s-stuff…?"

Gray's frown deepened. "We had a guy who lived here, Jack. He was a real good kid. He and Ann just hit it off. He was thinking about buying the farm. And if anyone could do it, it was him. He had guts." Gray shook his head. "The kid ended up deciding to blow it off. Ann found out when she caught him and Popuri getting 'friendly' in the barn. Nothin' bad, y'know? Just…" Gray laughed bitterly. "He hightailed it outta there the next chance he got."

I cocked my head to the side, confused to where the point that Ann did something stupid. Gray looked over to me, and in a hushed tone, said, "Ann followed him, used all her money to buy a ticket to the city and find him. She knew the Inn was in trouble without a farmer. He ended up slamming the door in her face at the mention of 'Mineral Town'." He scowled. After a few moments silence, I noticed he wasn't going to say much more. Too my shock, I realized he was too angry too say anything. And with the time I knew Gray, I knew he spoke his mind.

_Jack made him angry, Cliff. Very angry._

I can tell…

Gray grunted, flipping his covers over his shoulders, signifying his end in the conversation. "'Night…"

I sighed, flicking off light. "Good night…"

As soon as I woke up, I noticed Gray's empty bed. Realizing he must have left for work, I got out of my own bed, and ran down the stairs. Inhaling a very quick breakfast from a very quiet Ann, I left the Inn to dwell in my own thoughts and leaving Ann and her father to theirs.

It was getting warmer, and the sunlight hit my face almost immediately. It goes to show you how even though things get rough, life keeps going. And somehow, that fact wasn't quite reassuring. I didn't want life to go on. I wanted it to stand still. I didn't want to leave Mineral Town. But that's what it was coming down to.

Was that what Gray was hinting to me? Get up and skee-daddle? I didn't want to go. At all.

Brushing a hand through my hair, I sighed. Maybe staying here _wasn't_ the best idea… Maybe I did have to leave, as much as I hated the thought.

_No!_

What?

_Don't go!_

What else can I do?

_Please, just hold on… Just for a while long longer…_

I found myself in the Rose Square, standing at the mouth of it, thinking hard about the words of the voice.

You know the future or something?

_Well… kinda. You could say that…_

Are you freakin' kidding me…?

_Language, mister! LANGUAGE!_

I shook my head, walking forward and sitting on the bench. It was warm from the sun hitting it for quite some time. I ducked my head into my palms, wanting to just scream. People were too confusing. This town was confusing.

_Is Ann confusing?_

Oh Goddess, yes.

_In what way?_

I'd have thought you'd already read my mind by now in the future…

_Just talk it out, boy, and no snappiness._

She's just… weird. Weird weird. She's too perky. She's too friendly. She's sarcastic. She's 'out-there'. She's… nice. Real nice. She's… she's Ann.

_So being Ann, is it a good thing?_

…I guess so, yeah.

_Would you say it's a good quality, to be Ann?_

Sure.

_Is she a worthy friend?_

Yeah.

_Of yours?_

…I don't think so.

_Why not?_

Because from the things Gray said, I don't deserve a friend like her.

_How so?_

She might do something stupid. She might do something to screw things up for her to just help me. And I don't deserve that.

_You think she'd really do that for you?_

Actually… yeah. I think so.

_So while she deems you a friend worthy of helping, you can't even retaliate the same for her?_

…Well, when you put it that way…

_If you think about everything's that's happened, you'll realize she's done nothing but nice things for you. Fed you, let you in, gave you a place to sleep, a _friend_. Cliff, you needed a friend, whether you realized it or not. And she was just the girl. And you can't, you just _can't_ run away now._

When what's going to happen, lady? What? What's so important that I might miss if I leave this town?

And that's when I saw her. Gold hair, straightened to perfection. Her skin was pale and shimmered under the sun's rays, in a way that was so inviting to look at. Her clothes were modern, a tank top with a thin, airy sleeveless sweater and very skinny jean capris. Half her face was covered by ginormous, bug-eyed sunglasses and the only thing I could see were her full, glossed lips and her rosy cheeks. She was the definition city girl, and I could tell, she was utterly confused as to where she was.

The young woman was muttering harsh words under her breath, looking around as her behemoth purse swung around her. If it hadn't been for her freakishly huge sunglasses, I would've guessed her brows were furrowed and her eyes narrowed.

_She looks like she needs some help…_

I heard what the voice's tone implied, and, after sighing to myself, I got up and made my way over to the city girl. It was something I had never done before. She caught sight of me for just a second, and then pretended to not see I was there. I didn't understand why until she acted as though it was a total shock on her part. "Oh! Why, hello…" She took of her sunglasses and smiled at me. I was struck by her deep blue eyes, and how they stared at me through the young woman's lashes. "I didn't see you there."

_GAG. Help her anyway, though._

Whyyyyyy…?

_Cause now you're a nice person. So go._

"U-Uh…" I started, looking away. "I-I couldn't h-help but notice t-that you seem t-to be l-lost…"

She laughed lightly. "Yeah, it appears that way. Well it is that way. I did get lost. I was _supposed_ to get to Sunny Islands to meet my brother and his fiancé… But that lunk of a sailor dropped me off at this dump for the week cause he heard that his 'girl' is sick." She snorted. "Oh well, I can last here for a while. Is there a hotel nearby, stranger?" She smirked at me. I had to admit, she had a nice smile.

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, a blush forming on my cheeks. "W-Well, Mineral Town d-doesn't have an h-hotel…" Her smile faded for just a second. "B-But w-we have an I-Inn… D-Doug's I-Inn."

"An… Inn?" She asked, her expression becoming curious. "That's one of those places where you _can_ sleepover if you wanted to, right? And they have food?"

I nodded. "Y-Yeah."

She smiled. "Oh, goody! Is it like one of those cute little bed and breakfasts? The log cabin ones?"

My face shifted. Utter confusion. "W-What? U-Uh, no. I-It's brick."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure it'll be fine." She smiled again. Then, holding her hand out, she introduced herself. "Claire. Claire Banks."

I smiled a little. "C-Cliff." I said, shaking her hand. It was warm and soft.

"Soooo… mind showing me?"

"W-Where?"

"To the Inn, silly!" She giggled. Then she realized something. "Oh, wait; you were probably going somewhere weren't you?"

"W-Well, I was g-going to the C-Church…"

"That sounds so sweet! Your religious then?" Claire sounded interested. "Like, you're Christian?"

I smiled. "N-No… T-The H-Harvest G-Goddess. I follow the H-Harvest G-Goddess."

Her smiled was wiped off her face. "Who?"

Despite my disappointment, I beckoned her to follow me. "I-I'll show y-you."

Leading her to the Church, she talked endlessly (_endlessly_) about where she was from (New Freeman City), who her brother was (a farmer, of all things), who her brother's fiancé was (apparently, Claire didn't like this so-called Sabrina), and who, of course, who _she_ was. "You _must_ have heard of the Banks family! Why, we're all over the globe! My uncle owns the _Banks' Cars_ enterprise. My aunt runs the famous _Banks' Valôur_ jewelry company. My father runs an oil company called _Banks' Black Tea_. You _have_ to have heard of us!"

_Ugh, make her stop. Jewelry, cars, OIL. It's hideous…_

Hush.

_Oh, I know you did not just tell me to-_

"I-I'm afraid I-I h-haven't…" I said honestly, shaking my head slowly. She frowned and then huffed.

"Maybe it's best you didn't. I don't like any of that stuff. All business and no fun." She said, rolling her eyes. "My dad's such a stuffed shirt… All he does is run his company while Mum went shopping and to spas with her 'gal pals' and left me home with Markie." Claire sighed. "Well, that's the reason why Mark went into farming. He thought it would be something different. Something that Mum and Dad wouldn't be able to control. He's lucky he got away."

There was something in her eyes that I couldn't put my finger on. It looked like… envy?

Before I could determine the expression, I noticed we had reached the Church. Claire stopped a moment, looking up at the building, and her face changed dramatically. She grinned. "It's so…" She giggled. "It's so simple."

My heart sank a little. I kind of wanted to please her… "S-Simple?" I asked, my voice small.

"Yeah, simple. Y'know…" She turned to me and smiled wide. For that one moment, I didn't see an ounce of 'city' on her. "Perfect."

The next few hours, we chatted on and on in the pews. I introduced her to Pastor Cater, who was pleased to meet another new face in the Church's walls, and to Mary, who came by to play on the piano for a short while. Claire said she knew how to play, but it had been years since she had last touched the keys, and didn't make a move for the open seat after Mary had departed.

She explained to me how she visited her brother, unfortunately, not as often as she liked. They were very close, and she was disappointed to find that he was marrying someone she didn't find quite suitable for him. "She's awfully shy and much too quiet. And all she does is speak of books and art. It's really boring… Mark's more fun and wild. I don't see how they could have _possibly_ been together." Was how she put it. "Oh, and she dresses like a nun. I mean, _seriously_, she could at least show a little skin…"

To that, I couldn't help but laugh.

I told her about the Harvest Goddess, and how I converted. She was deeply intrigued by the religion and town, and asked many questions. I tried my best to answer them all.

"Does the Harvest Goddess really exist?"

"W-Well, y-yes, t-that is w-what we b-believe."

"Where is she?"

"I-In a p-pond, w-where s-she w-waits for s-sacrifices."

"Like, people sacrifices?"

"N-No!" I said, with horror. "F-Flowers and c-crops and a-animal p-products!"

She had laughed. "And how do you get crops? And animal… err, stuff?"

"Y-You have to g-grow crops and r-raise animals."

"So… start a farm?" Her eyes glittered. "Like my brother?"

And something in my brain clicked. "Y-Yeah… Like your b-brother."

I burst through the doors of the Inn, holding Claire's wrist as we dashed to the counter. Ann was shell-shocked, staring at me with wide eyes. Her gaze then moved to Claire. "Erg…" Was all that escaped from her lips.

"Ann!" I cried, smiling like a giddy drunk. "Y-You won't believe i-it!"

Claire was giggling behind me, and one of Ann's eyebrows arched upwards. "I give up…"

I looked at Claire and gave her a smile, then turned back to Ann. "There's a new farmer in town!"

Both eyebrows shot up. "What?!"

Ann began to squeal and scream, jumping over the counter and launching herself into me. The wind was knocked right out of my lungs as I fell to the ground, obviously bruising by rear, but it didn't seem to matter. Tears were in Ann's eyes as she laughed wildly. "Are you joking?!" She was grinning. "Tell me you're serious!"

I nodded and she screamed with joy again. Doug came out and heard the ruckus, and Ann screamed the news. Doug began to grin, just like his daughter did. He came around the counter and met Claire, who was just smiling beyond the point of happiness and absolutely thrilled. Ann helped me up and wrapped her arms around my neck, thanking me over and over.

Gray came down, hearing the news and talking to Doug and Claire, as Ann excused herself to speak to the new farmer. I sat down on one of the chairs, watching as Ann shook Claire's hand, talking with so much enthusiasm and animation. Doug was shaking his head and smiling, beside himself. Gray was grinning, too, nodding as Claire explained how I helped her go to the Mayor and buy the farm. They were all talking loudly, the entire Inn filled with laughter and happiness. I smiled.

_Good job, Cliff. Very good job._

Thanks. What now? Am I done learning?

_Oh, no, there's still much to learn._

But as I watched Doug nod and Gray grin and Claire gush and Ann laugh, I figured there wasn't much else.

_Ah, but Cliff, there is still a lot you don't know._

Yeah, what?

_You'll see. You'll just have to wait and see._

**_Miss Rouge Apple_~ Hello all! Yes, it has been quite a while, and I apologize! But I hope this chapter makes up for it! I have three one-shots for HM in mind right now, and I am currently working on them, so please be on the lookout! Happy reading! ^^**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I sat my bedroom, reading a book that Mary had suggested for me. I had recently found a friend in the little librarian. Though, I never saw her much. But when she did come to the Church, we found that we shared some common interests: books, Church, music, and that talking wasn't much of our forte.

There was a loud rapping on the door, and I jumped in my bed.

Ann poked her head in, her brows in a taut furrow. "Her Highness isn't thrilled that we don't have a tenth electric outlet in her room."

Ah, Claire.

I nodded and gave Ann a sheepish, pitying smile. Claire was staying at the Inn until her new farmhouse was fully built and up to living standards (and human living standards, not wealthy semi-snob living standards). The blonde had taken fully over the second Inn room, her clothes filling the closets and dressers and flooding over to the other bed, her make-up container dictating the dressertop, and her purse and shoe collection… Good Goddess, they had to stay in their suitcases. I had no energy and the room had no space left to take them out. And from Ann's point of view, Claire would soon learn how to live of basics and thought she should start now. And from my point of view, Claire should enjoy what material items she had left.

Ann walked fully in, her hands folded over her chest and her hip jutting out to the side. It was the stern Keeper look. "She's also talking about having a few beers tonight, ever since I told her about Karen and Duke's drinking contests…" Ann said, giving me a look that was far too familiar to the disapproving look that my mother would give my father. I sighed and looked up with an expression saying 'what should _I_ do about it?' "Go talk to her. She's dancing in her room to _Shots._"

I raised an eyebrow. I had been listening to the walls vibrating for the past hour. I pretty much knew already.

Ann smirked. "I'd dance, too, if I didn't already have _responsibilities_." Ann smiled at me. "She's a nice girl." Her smile darkened. "Let's try to keep my opinion of her that way."

I shrugged, giving her the same sheepish smile. She laughed. "I appreciate you getting her and all… Believe me; you're amazing to me for that." I felt my cheeks flare. "But she needs a bit of a waker-upper. I'd do it, but I've been told I'm a tad harsh." She rolled her blue eyes. "Anyway, I thought since you kinda know her better, could you say something?"

I was surprised. "I-I don't k-know h-how to f-farm!" I cried.

She gave me a look. "I know that, boy. Jeez, I didn't mean take her under your green-thumbed wing, moron. I meant let her know things run around here. You've been here long enough. I'd send Gray, but… He's kinda harsh like me and he's been ogling her ever since she arrived." Ann made a distasteful face, as if had eaten something sour.

_Ogling? Hmmm, you'd think you'd notice…_

"O-Okay…" I said, a little hesitant.

Ann smiled. "Great! Thanks, bud!"

I gave her a small smile. "N-No p-problem…"

She gave me a wave and then walked out of my room, closing the door behind her. I sighed, and this time, it was out of content.

_Things going well for you, huh?_

Absolutely… I get to stay, Ann and I are all cool again, nobody hates my guts, and I actually have a routine! A routine! It's been years since I had a routine… Sophomore year in high school. That's right.

_Would you go back again?_

Home? And leave here? No, I don't think so.

_Yeah? That so? Why?_

I guess I like it here.

_Really?_

Yeah.

_What about Claire?_

What about her?

_She's kinda pretty. Tee-hee!_

Well… Yeah, I guess…

_Oh, you're blushing, Cliffy! Tee-hee!_

I am not!

My cheeks burned as I stood up to go to the room of vibrating walls. I knocked on her door once, which after I realized she wouldn't be able to hear me. I opened the door a crack and peeked in. Claire was in a tank top and, um, _real_ shorts. The music blared as though embedded in my eardrums. I watched her as she danced, lip singing to the loud melody.

She turned around, noticing me. She continued to dance as she winked at me. "Hey there, cutie!" She yelled over the music. My cheeks flared. "Care to dance?" I shook my head, opening the door fully and walking in. She fist pumped into the air, wooting. "C'mon! You know you want to…" She giggled, swaying her hips. Putting up my hands, I shook my head again. Claire smirked. "Ah, suit yourself!"

She danced her way over to her iHome and turned the blaring music down, then facing me and smirking, asking, "So why're you here? If not to dance with me, then…?" Her voice implied more and my cheeks burned.

I looked away, rubbing the back of my neck. "I-I w-wanted t-to show y-you around…"

She stopped smirking and smiled. "Aw, that's so sweet of you!"

Blushing furiously, I smiled a little. "S-Should w-we go?"

She shrieked. I jumped a foot in the air. "Are you NUTS?" She had a look of horror on her face. "I haven't CHANGED yet!"

I shrunk back. "W-What?" I asked, utterly confused. "L-Like, a-a b-butterfly 'c-change'?"

"NO!" I felt if I shrunk back any farther, I'd turn inside out. "I mean, I haven't changed CLOTHES for the day! Or done my MAKE-UP! Or did my HAIR! Or-"

"O-Okay!" I surrendered. "A-Alright! I get i-it!"

Claire sighed and pushed me out of the room. "Alright, alright, I'll be done in a few minutes. But while I change, you have to step out."

Before I was shoved outside of the room's threshold, I could've sworn I heard her whisper, "Or not."

My face was purple when the door closed.

I sat on the floor, leaning against the wall next to Claire's bedroom door. Steady, in a slow beat, I banged the back of my head against the wall's face.

A few minutes? WHO WAS SHE KIDDING? I had been waiting for the past forty-five minutes!

_Hmm… some ladies take a little longer to put on their face._

A _little_?

_Well, yeah, I guess… Well, I know _I_ don't take this long._

Wait, what? You're a person?

_Tee-hee! Not quite, Cliffy!_

Well, what are you-

"Cliff~" Rang a sweet voice, pulling me out of my mental conversation. I looked to my right to see a different view of the blonde next door. Claire wore tight black jeans with strappy, high suede boots. Her designer shirt was airy and light, a picture depicting a wheat field. It was a little see-through, and a white tank top pocked out under the thin fabric of the shirt. She wore her humongous sunglasses again and her hair was straightened and fell down her back in golden sheets. I couldn't help but stare. She smirked as she lowered her sunglasses to look at me. "So… ready to go?"

I merely nodded and she giggled.

_Stop drooling, Cliff…_

Oops, sorry…

I got up, nodding to the staircase. She took the hint and began to walk down the stairs, me right behind. Ann came out of the kitchen, giving me a quick wave as I dashed out the door, Claire already outside. When the warm air hit my face, I found that Claire had already begun walking down the road. I scuttled over to her like a puppy. She grinned at me as I caught up.

"So where exactly am I heading, cutie?" I blushed at the newfound nickname.

"W-Well, w-we're heading to t-the B-Blacksmith's… S-So-"

"Alrighty, then we'll start there." She said smirking. "What happens at a Blacksmith's?"

I drew a blank.

_The filthy ogres melt metals and implant jewels in them. Ugh._

"S-Smiths w-work metals a-and can make t-tools and j-jewelry." I said, mentally cringing at the voice's harsh words.

_Ogres! They're ogres! They work hard, that's for sure, but all the sweat toiled over just for _silver_ or_ gold?_ Please… plant a crop for Harvest Lord's sake!_

"Jewelry?" Claire asked, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, I love jewelry and jewels. I especially like _sapphires._"

_UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH…_

I nodded, smiling. "M-Maybe, w-when you make enough m-money on the f-farm, t-then y-you could b-buy a sapphire n-necklace."

_GGGGGAAAAAAAGGGGGGG…_

Her face fell a little, but she nodded all the same. Had she emphasized the word 'sapphires'?

_CHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOKEEEEEEE-_

We get it. You hate jewels, metals, and the whole she-bang that goes with it.

_Oh, did I not make that clear enough? I DETEST them._

That's a strong word there…

_LOATHHHEEEEEEE…_

…That's stronger.

_I know._

Clearing my throat, I curved over to the side of the road, just at the entrance of the Blacksmith's. Claire followed me in, me holding the door open. Saibara nodded to me and then quickly, as though it was a long-old argument, scolded his grandson, "See? Chivalry isn't dead! Clifford here held the door open for this young lady! You couldn't even do that for poor Miss Mary…"

…Clifford?

"Shut UP already, you crotchety old man!" I could hear Gray seethe from the back of the room, his head practically in the hot, hot ovens. Saibara gave Gray a few choice words, and then apologized to Claire, who was eyeing up Gray from behind. Even I noticed her ogling.

Claire's attention then snapped back to Saibara, and she giggled nervously. "It's no problem, sir. I've heard much worse in my dad's office."

Saibara nodded and I introduced her as our new farmer. "Ah, taking up the farm, are you?" The elder man nodded, studying her. "Well… you might be a bit thin… and your muscles might not really stand up to some of the work at first… But I'm pretty confident that you'll survive."

Claire's expression was unreadable, a strange cross between either shocked, distasteful, and a smile. I saw her brow twitch. "Err, thank you?" Her voice heightened.

He nodded, his bushy, white brows furrowing. "Well, this is the Blacksmith's, young lady. This is where we'll be able to fix or upgrade your tools. You might have some in your tool box at your home, lasting from the other farmers in the past; those are old, and they'll make it for a while, but they _will_ need to be updated to newer, better tools. That or they'll break on you."

Claire blinked, and I could just see her working on her farm now, an axe shattering upon impact. Shards everywhere. Both she and I shuddered involuntarily. Saibara seemed to understand. "Yes, it can be pretty dangerous… That's why it's very important for you to come in from time to time, if you see anything wrong with your tools. Any cracks or tarnishes, please inform either me or Gray."

The blonde smiled warmly. "Thanks!" She smirked, looking over at Gray. "Mind if I see how it's done?"

I blushed and pulled on my collar, feeling hot. Gray turned around and shrugged at her. "No skin off my bones."

_Not much of a flirt, is he?_

He likes her?

_No duh, Sherlock Cliffy._

What about Mary? And he's only known Claire for days!

_Like I said, ogre._

I pursed my lips as Claire sauntered over to Gray's side. My chest tightened a tad and I followed behind. The heat radiating off of the ovens tickled whatever skin was bare. My face was overridden with the pure warmth and gagging stench of molten ore. I had to cover my nose and mouth with my hand.

Claire, however, was leaning into the oven as Gray worked. She and the redhead both seemed unfazed by the horrible odor and the intense heat. Smoke burned up into the bellows, some escaping into the room. I held back a cough as I listened to Claire chattering away to Gray.

"Wow, this is so hot… How do you work all day with this _heat_?" She seemed genuinely interested. "I bet you get so sweaty under all that." Claire remarked, referring to Gray's clothes. I saw a small smirk flicker on her lips a second.

_Oh, ew._

What?

_Ugh, just girl thoughts._

…ew.

_Yup._

"So when my tools need to be fixed, you'll be fixing them?" Claire asked.

"Yeah." Gray muttered, giving her a sideways glance. She nodded and remained quiet, watching him work. I looked over at Saibara, who wasn't paying us any mind.

"So what kinda tools will I be using?" Claire asked.

He gave her a look, noticed genuine curiosity, and then answered, "Hammers, axes, watering cans, maybe a sprinkler system if you get enough money, fishing rods, hoes-"

Claire began to giggle. Gray looked over at me with a face that implied that he was getting fed up. "So… hoes? Do you work with them often?"

"Uh, duh. I'm an apprentice blacksmith; I work with hoes all the time." Gray grunted. Claire snorted and Gray suddenly realized what was so funny. I let my face fall into my palm. His upper lip curled up as he barked, "Are you serious?"

Claire laughed even louder. I noted how high it was and how it reminded me of a hyena. I cringed.

Gray turned around, facing Claire and I with soot-speckled flesh and flamed-licked clothes. Fear replaced the blood in my veins when he stared at Claire with utter distaste. She was still giggling. "Get out!" He snapped.

Claire stopped laughing and then gave him a frown. "Hey, you can't talk to me like that!"

"Gray!" Saibara barked from the front of the room. "You can't talk to her like that!"

I went to Claire's side, grabbing her arm and beginning to tug at it. "C-C'mon, let's g-go…"

"No!" She pulled her arm away. "I want him to apologize first! Apologize to your superior!"

Gray snorted. "Superior? As if!"

"Gray, apologize to Miss Claire!" Saibara shouted.

"No!"

"Then I refuse to leave!"

"You're distracting me from my work!"

"Gray, apologize!"

"Not until she admits she's being annoying!"

"Who you calling annoying, you ugly mug?"

"I'm calling _you_ annoying, Little Miss Farmer! I bet you won't even last on the farm for a season!"

"You wanna see that?"

"I'd pay to see it." Gray snarled.

"GRAYSON CLYDE SMITH!" Saibara roared. The whole room went dead silent.

Gray looked over his grandfather with a look of utter shock and anger. Claire looked as though still seething. I swore I was about to cry. Saibara's eyes hardly poked out from under his bushy brows, but if they were visible, I'd think they were beady and filled with flames.

"Apologize right now." Saibara snapped.

Gray looked between his grandfather and Claire for a few moments before finally muttering an apology to the blonde. He whirled right back around to his work and I could feel the chill from the cold shoulder. Claire, however, was too busy fuming to even shiver. Saibara came back to me, and in a hushed tone whispered to me, "I think it's best if you leave…"

No need to say that again.

I pulled Claire behind me out of the Blacksmith's and took a few minutes to breathe in clean, fresh air. My knees were shaking under me.

Claire, with a huff, whirled her hair over her shoulder and scoffed, "What an ogre…"

_Told you so_.

I am so tempted to tell you to shut up.

_But you won't cause I'm your superior._

…I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that.

_Tee-hee!_

"Oh well, he's just a waste. No humor. Where to next, cutie?" I looked up at Claire with disbelief. She was smiling, perky, and as chipper as before. As though the whole argument with Gray had never happened.

I sighed to myself. It was going to be a long day.

"M-Maybe t-to the C-Chicken L-Little Farm?" I asked.

Claire squealed. "Oh! Chickies! Yes! Let's go there!"

Claire and I dragged ourselves forward, feet tired and weary from so much social contact. I hardly said much (Claire took care of that), but every time Claire said something that could be confused with an insult, I got her (and myself) out of there as soon as I could. She, and I quote, had said:

"Corsets have been out since shaving legs was in; forever ago." To Popuri.

"So if I work with cows and sheep and stuff, will I really _reek_ like that guy?" To me with Barley close by.

"I've have more flavor in a Gatorade than in this wine." To me in Aja's Winery.

"If this is all the store has to offer, then how does that guy's kid have the fakest highlights I've ever seen?" To me, with Karen in close range (I swear, Karen was about to spit fire).

I was utterly shocked how little of a conscience that Claire had. One thing was sure, she was bold and spoke her mind. But she just never really thought about what others would say to her after the words were out of her mouth. I'm guessing she was sheltered by her big-corporation daddy, and was allowed to speak her mind outright without any repercussions.

_Whew… that was quite insightful, Cliff._

I guess…

We reached the peak of Mother's Hill, sitting down on the rough ground and staring up as the stars began to glitter. The sun was already setting, and the horizon was just beginning to become from a brilliant orange hue to a rich navy. Adding to the very few times in my life, I thought that life couldn't be better: I had a place to back to when the sun went down, people to talk to and to talk to me, and even a religion to believe in.

Claire sighed with a dreamy expression on her face, her sunglasses giving away to her big blue eyes and long lashes. "Cliff, this was an amazing day." I nodded, fully agreeing with her. While I did feel a little like a chaperone (and not just a little), I found that Claire was someone I liked spending time with. A lot. "And the people were so nice. A little weird, but really nice."

She tore her eyes away from the sky and looked at me. "And I'm glad to have spent it with you." She flashed me a genuine smile. I blushed crimson and nodded again.

"I-I had a g-great time, t-too, C-Claire." I said, bringing my gaze to the ground.

"Hopefully, even after my house is all done and I move to the farm," Claire's eyes showed excitement and pride at the word 'farm', "We'll still be able to hang out like this."

"I-I hope so, t-too." I agreed. Claire's face brightened at my words. I felt my chest warm.

She smiled again and looked up. "Wow… I didn't know there were so many stars… Now I get when people talk about 'wide open skies'…" Claire gaped as the sun faded from the horizon and the stars shone out. "I thought, I mean, wow… Oh, wow! Look at that one!" Her voice heightened. "It's moving! A shooting star! Look, Cliff!"

"I-I see it!" I laughed. A streak of white streamed across the night sky. Claire was giggling. "Y-You s-sound like y-you've never seen o-one…!" I pointed out.

"I haven't!" Claire quickly replied and stood up, her forefinger outright and tracing the star's path. "Look at it go! Oh, wow! WOW!" She laughed wildly. "There's another one! Cliff! Another shooting star!"

"N-Never seen one b-before?" I asked, my eyes widened with disbelief. "N-Never?"

"I'm a city girl, so what?" Claire replied. "Oh! Those stars over there look like a big measuring cup!"

"T-That's the B-Big D-Dipper…" I said, pointing to it. She giggled at the name.

"Oh, look!" She gasped. "That one's HUGE!"

"I-I'm pretty s-sure t-that's a p-planet…" I mused. Claire scoffed.

"No way… you sure?"

"Actually, y-yeah! I-I think t-that's V-Venus!" I said, confident.

"Ohmahgosh!" Claire gushed. "That's too cool!"

We both laughed as shooting stars streaked across the horizon, the moon half-lidded as though a sleepy eye. Claire reached over and looped her arm through mine, giving me a grateful smile. I nodded to her, my face warming to the contact. And we stayed that way for another hour, just sitting on the hill as the moon basked us in the light and the stars gave us a show.

The people of the town might take a little while to fall for Claire, but it didn't take long for me.

* * *

**_Miss Rouge Apple~ _I'M ALIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! So, yeah, I'm still writing! I just had a viral MEGA-ATTACK that was launched on my lappy's arse, so I was unable to write for a couple weeks. But now that I'm on SUMER VAY-CAY, I'm pretty sure I'll have more time to write you guys this story (among many, many others) ^^ So, anyway, _what is this?_ Cliff and CLAIRE? WHAAA? Well, here's a couple coming into play... Hmm... should I roll with it? Or no...? Temptation, temptation...**

**You know what to do: REVIEW TIME. Please review, huns! 8D**


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